ROCKINGHAM — Winning five of the six singles matches, and one of the three doubles, was enough for the Richmond Senior girls tennis team to down Lumberton on Thursday.

Both Jayana Nicholson (No. 2 singles) and Kathleen Pittman (No. 4 singles) defeated their opponents by a score of 6-0, 6-0 and helped lead the Lady Raiders to a 6-3 win.

“They did pretty well (today),” coach Michael Way said. “I think more than anything, we’re just a little more athletic than some of these teams.”

Kallie Hammond, Meredith Stogner and Greyson Way were the other three Lady Raiders who picked up wins in the singles competitions. Kenzie Ransom stuck close with Lumberton’s Kaitlyn McDonald in the No. 1 singles, but ultimately fell 4-6, 4-6.

Nicholson and Way were the only Richmond duo to grab a victory (8-1) in the doubles matches.

“A lot of the girls are still young and getting into it. A lot of them just started playing in the month of August — when we started workouts,” Way explained. “Just learning the rules, how the game is played and what they’re trying to accomplish has been the biggest improvement.”

Richmond will make the trip to Pinecrest next Tuesday, Oct. 4.

Pinecrest is the only SEC team to defeat the Lady Raiders this season, as it grabbed a 8-1 victory earlier this month.

“Those girls are good. They’ve been taking lessons for as long as they’ve been playing,” Way added.

Richmond will continue to work on its understanding of the game and hope to be playing at a high level when the conference tournament rolls around next month.

“Walking out on the court and knowing what you’re trying to accomplish is a big part of it. And we’re getting there — I see it coming,” Way said. “Just about every time they go out there, it gets a little better.”

Reach sports editor Leon Hargrove Jr. at 910-817-2673 and follow the sports section on Twitter @RCDailySports.

Leon Hargrove Jr. | Daily Journal
Richmond Senior’s Kallie Hammond and Meredith Stogner compete in the No. 2 doubles in a conference match against Lumberton on Tuesday afternoon.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_gtennisweb-1.jpgLeon Hargrove Jr. | Daily Journal
Richmond Senior’s Kallie Hammond and Meredith Stogner compete in the No. 2 doubles in a conference match against Lumberton on Tuesday afternoon.

By Leon Hargrove Jr.

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