Raiders tennis starts tough week 1-1

ROCKINGHAM – The Richmond Raiders tennis team began what head coach Pat Hope called a “tough week” on Tuesday with a loss to perennial conference champion Pinecrest High School 8-1 overall.

Hope said that the team fell behind in singles sets quickly and wasn’t able to recover. No. 1 player Austin Harrington fell in straight sets 6-1, 6-0 to top Pinecrest player Adam Temple.

 

Richmond’s No. 5 player Bradford Pittman was the only Raider player to give his opponent a run for his money, as he took Will Blackwood to a third set after splitting the first two 6-3, 4-6. Unfortunately, Blackwood was able to win the deciding set 10-6.

 

The Raiders lone win on Tuesday came in doubles action when the No. 3 team of Mason Barley and Caleb Brewer were able to defeat Patriots Rachon Hyslop and Jonathan Kenzel 8-2.

 

Hope said after the match that the twin duo of Austin and Miles Harrington improved in their respective doubles from the first matchup earlier in the season, but fell 8-5.

 

“I feel like with the rapid fire schedule and limited practice time our guys are finding what works for them,” said Hope. “We’ve left a few games, sets and matches out there, but we are a better team now than we were earlier this month.”

 

That rapid fire schedule would continue Wednesday afternoon when the Raiders hosted Purnell Swett High School, this time finding themselves victorious 7-2 overall.

 

Austin Harrington won 6-1, 6-3 followed, by No. 2 player Jimmy Cooley’s victory of 6-2, 6-2 in straight sets. Miles Harrington accounted for the Raiders only singles loss.

 

In doubles action, the Harrington brothers were defeated by the Rams top duo 8-6 in a hard-fought match, but that would be Purnell Swett’s only two wins for the day.

 

Calling it a “great bounce-back win,” Hope went on to say that playing the Rams just last week helped in the victory.

 

“Hopefully we can carry the momentum over one more time against Jack Britt,” Hope concluded.