ROCKINGHAM — A day after suffering a shutout loss to start Mid-South Conference play, the Richmond Senior High School boys’ tennis team couldn’t get back in the win column.
Back on their home court, the Raiders suffered a 7-2 loss to Jack Britt High School in another MSC match.
Freshman Brian Dominguez had a hand in both wins, earning a singles victory and teaming up with junior Clinton Parker for a doubles victory.
“Brian did a great job winning his singles match today, and I’m proud of him and Clinton for winning their doubles match,” head coach Jessica Covington said. “This team has shown a lot of potential through our first three matches, and honestly, it’s just the fact that we’re a young group and don’t have a lot of experience.
“I’ve been encouraged by what everyone has been able to do and it’s just a matter of time before the guys put it together and start collecting wins,” she added. “Cole Lambeth made a great attempt at a comeback today before coming up short in a tiebreaker.”
Dominguez, who played the No. 6 singles match, defeated James Naveen by set scores of 6-1 and 6-2. It was Dominguez’s team-leading second singles win of the season.
In his No. 3 contest, Lambeth trailed Michael Bandy 1-6 after the first game. He rallied to tie the second set 6-6 before falling 4-7 in the tiebreaker.
No. 1 senior Brian Griffith and No. 2 junior Ben Lutz lost to their opponents by respective scores of 1-6, 2-6 and 1-6, 1-6.
No. 4 junior Ashton Mabe fell 2-6, 4-6, and No. 5 Parker had similar scores of 1-6, 4-6.
Pairing up in the No. 3 doubles contest, Parker and Dominguez rolled over Bandy and Nomai Nikkala 8-5 for the team’s other win.
Griffith and Lambeth lost the No. 1 match 4-8 and the No. 2 duo of Lutz and Mabe came up short 1-8.
The Raiders (1-2, 0-2 MSC) return to action next week with a non-conference road match Tuesday at Union Pines High School. Singles will start at 4 p.m.
