SANFORD — The Richmond Senior High School boys’ tennis team wasn’t able to earn its first team victory of the season Tuesday, but a trio of players did enter the win column.
The Raiders continued Sandhills Athletic Conference play at Lee County High School and fell short to the Yellow Jackets 6-3.
Two of Richmond’s wins came in singles action courtesy of No. 1 senior Jordan Jacobs and No. 3 senior Gavin Applewhite. Jacobs and senior teammate Matthew Leggett combined to win the No. 1 doubles match.
Competing in eight-game pro sets, Jacobs battled Nathan Jones and earned his first individual victory of the spring season with a final score of 9-7 in the tiebreaker.
Applewhite held a little bit more of a cushion in his match against Ben Klug, also winning his first singles match of the year by a score of 8-4.
“It was good for Jordan and Gavin to get in the win column,” head coach Jessica Covington said. “All of the guys battled hard today and we were close to coming away with the win.
“Jordan’s slice was working really well today and he won a lot of points that way and Gavin battled hard even with a hurt ankle to get his win,” she added. “I thought Jordan and Matt continued to play really well in doubles. Things are starting to come together for them.”
Facing Jones and Finley Benton in the top-seeded doubles match, Jacobs and Leggett cruised to an 8-2 victory. It was the duo’s first win in three tries this season.
The rest of Richmond’s lineup came up a little bit short in singles and doubles play. No. 2 Leggett lost to Benton 3-8, while No. 4 senior Billy West and No. 5 sophomore Ben Lutz each lost by scores of 4-8 to Hunter Jackson and Jayden Gibbs, respectively.
Finishing out the singles matches was No. 6 senior Jordan McCormick, who lost 2-8 against Edgar Valenzuela.
With Applewhite unable to play doubles due to injury, Covington had to adjust the lineup. West and McCormick paired up in the No. 2 contest and were defeated 1-8 by Klug and Jackson.
In the No. 3 pairing, Lutz and sophomore Clinton Parker were unable to register a point in an 8-0 loss to Valenzuela and Carter Osborne.
Richmond (0-3, 0-3 SAC) will get a week off to prepare for a pair of home matches next Tuesday and Thursday against Scotland and Southern Lee high schools. Both matches will begin singles play at 4 p.m.
