CAMERON, N.C - Before the season started, first-time head tennis coach Patrick Hope knew the first week of play would be a tough task for his players as they were slated to start Tuesday against Sandhills Athletic Conference rival Purnell Swett.
However, inclement weather caused Wednesday's match against the Vikings of Union Pines to come first, and the Raiders were unable to grab a point, losing 9-0 overall in non-conference play.
In singles action, No. 1 Raider Austin Harrington was defeated by Will Hart 6-0, 6-1 in straight sets, followed by No. 2 player Jimmy Cooley with the same score against Union Pines' Sean Melia.
The closest match came in the No. 6 spot when Raider Bradford Pittman battled versus Jake Moubry until the end but fell 6-2, 6-1.
No Raider was able to get past the second set, but Hope saw some progress on Wednesday and will use the match as a jumping off point for improvement.
"They are a very experienced team," Hope said of Union Pines. "There were a lot of firsts today for us with it being our first match of the season. I thought we hit the ball well but were caught off guard with their returns and where they placed them."
In doubles play, the No. 1 Raider duo of Austin and brother Miles Harrington suffered the same fate as the rest of the team when they were beat 8-1. The second team of Cooley and Kevin Campos lost 8-0, and third doubles team Mason Bailey and Caleb Brewer were able to score a point but ultimately fell 8-1 against Union Pines' doubles teams.
Regardless of the outcome, Hope now has a foundation to build on and will try to use Wednesday's loss as motivation when the schedule gets tougher against SAC-favorite Pinecrest High School at home at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
"There were some good things done by everyone who played today," said Hope Wednesday night. "We'll just have to continue to adjust as we gain experience."
