ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School junior varsity volleyball team did its part to keep rivalry week in favor of the school Tuesday.
Hosting non-conference Scotland High School, the JV Lady Raiders secured a 2-0 win.
Sweeping the JV Lady Scots, Richmond rolled by scores of 25-14 and 25-20.
“The team played well together tonight,” head coach Melissa Dennis said. “We didn’t get into our normal slump that somehow finds us during the second set.
“They kept playing and finally started being more aggressive at the net. It’s always nice to get a win against Scotland.”
Serving was key in the first set win for Richmond, which rattled off 10 aces from five different players. Freshman libero Yicel Lopez had a team-high three aces in the set.
Adding two perfect serves each were sophomore Kaleigh Bowden and freshmen Alley Crouch and Jasey Braddock. Freshman Grace Hill had one ace.
Starting the set on an 8-1 run, Richmond capitalized on several Scotland errors and two early aces from Braddock. Crouch also had her two serves hit the hardwood during that stretch.
Building momentum, the JV Lady Raiders jumped out to the first of their two 10-point leads in the opening frame. Lopez had all three of her aces during a 5-0 run to make it 13-4.
Using pushes from Crouch and freshman Ava Clark, Bowden dished out two aces on consecutive serves. A hitting error by Scotland made it 17-7.
Hill served up the final ace of the set to make it 19-10. Four of Richmond’s final five points were courtesy of Scotland miscues and the other was a Bowden kill.
The second set started similarly to the first as the JV Lady Raiders took an 8-2 lead. Braddock and Crouch both had an ace, two of five by the team in the second, to put Richmond ahead.
What proved to be a closer second stanza, Scotland went on a 12-7 run to pull within a point, 15-14. A kill and a tip by Crouch, along with kills from Clark and freshman Giada Terry, maintained the lead.
A back row kill from Crouch built a two-point cushion and Lopez sent two aces over the net to make it 18-14, which forced a Scotland timeout.
Scotland again pulled within a point, 20-19, but Richmond closed on a 5-1 run to shut the door.
Two Scotland hitting errors, two kills by Crouch along the left wing and a final kill by Terry completed the sweep.
The JV Lady Raiders (3-3) play at Uwharrie Charter Academy Wednesday at 5 p.m.
The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery of Tuesday’s win soon.
