FAYETTEVILLE — A back-and-forth battle Tuesday ended in defeat for the Richmond Senior High School volleyball team.
Trying to complete the regular-season series sweep of Jack Britt High School, the Lady Raiders couldn’t ride an early wave of momentum.
Going to five sets, Richmond fell 3-2. After winning the first set 25-23, the Lady Raiders dropped the second and third sets by respective scores of 11-25 and 18-25.
Trailing in the fourth set, Richmond used an 11-serve run by junior Kenley Smith to regain the lead and tie the match at two sets apiece with a 25-23 victory.
Unlike the first meeting with the Lady Buccaneers earlier this month, which was a five-set win, the Lady Raiders came up short 16-18 in the final stanza.
“We came out swinging tonight and that was encouraging to see,” head coach Ashleigh Larsen said. “I thought we moved the ball around well and we used all of our hitters tonight.
“We came out swinging in the first set then got back on our heels in the second and third sets. I think we could have capitalized on the first set a little bit more.
“Everyone served well tonight, and KG (Smith’s) serving run was a big rallying point for us in the fourth,” she added. “There were a few little mistakes that cost us, but it’s nothing we can’t fix moving forward.”
Richmond (10-7, 3-4 MSC) returns home Thursday to host conference leader Hoke County High School (17-2, 7-0 MSC). First serve is set for 6:30 p.m.
JV Lady Raiders swept
On the road at Jack Britt Tuesday, the Richmond junior varsity volleyball team also suffered a defeat.
Losing 2-0 in straight sets, scores were 13-25 and 10-25.
The JV Lady Raiders (8-9, 3-4 MSC) also host Hoke County Thursday. The match will begin at 5 p.m.
