LAURINBURG — Tuesday’s Sandhills Athletic Conference tennis match between Richmond Senior and Scotland high schools featured two winless teams, but that unfortunately stayed the same for the Lady Raiders.
But there was some upside for Richmond, as the Lady Raiders managed to win their first handful of matches this fall.
After both teams started the season on a respective four-match losing streak, the Lady Fighting Scots notched their first win of the season. Scotland held off the Lady Raiders by a final score of 6-3.
Although they may have fallen to their SAC rival, the Lady Raiders picked up their first singles match win this season, as well as its first two doubles match wins. In the four matches prior, Richmond had been swept by all of its opponents.
Due to a high heat index, all singles and doubles matches were played as eight-game pro sets to shorten the match for player safety. No. 5 sophomore Elizabeth Henry would faceoff against Scotland’s Morgan Stewart and swing her way to an 8-4 win, also the first of her high school career.
Sophomore No. 4 Paris Almon and sophomore No. 6 Ellie Buck each put forth a strong effort against their opponents in singles play, but would come up just short. Against D’Avena Johnson, Almon fell 6-8 and Buck dropped her match 4-8 to Katie Smith.
Richmond’s No. 1 junior Kearston Bruce and No. 2 sophomore O’Cean Bennett would each fall 2-8 against Claire Carter and Samantha Brown, respectively. No. 3 junior Kaylee Parker lost to her Lady Fighting Scot opponent, Emma Lewis, by a final tally of 3-8.
In No. 2 doubles play, Buck and Parker teamed up against Lewis and Smith and saw the match end in an 8-8 tie. In the tie-breaker, the Lady Raider duo surged ahead to win 10-4 in the extra game, making it the first win for each player this season.
Following Buck and Parker were Almon and Henry, who rolled to an 8-3 win in the No. 3 doubles match over Sara Leggett and Stewart. Bruce and Bennett were swept 8-0 by Carter and Brown in the No. 1 pairing.
“They have worked really hard in practice the past two weeks,” first-year head coach Neely Herndon said of her team. “The girls played aggressive today, which allowed us to win a few sets. I was pleased with how well each girl played today.”
Richmond (0-5, 0-4 SAC) will return to action with three matches next week, starting on the road at Purnell Swett High School on Tuesday, Sept. 17. The Lady Raiders will play Pinecrest High School (away) and Jack Britt High School (home) on Wednesday. All matches are set for a 4 p.m. start.
