PEMBROKE — Although it was forced to play eight-game super sets due to Thursday’s weather, according to head coach Michael Way, the Lady Raider tennis team eased its way to another victory over a conference opponent.
Participating in super-set matches means each singles competition only consists of one set played to eight points, instead of the usual two sets which are played to six. Richmond would win five of the six singles, sweep the doubles and earn a 8-1 win over Purnell Swett — its second time taking down the Lady Rams this week.
Seniors Destiny Buie held Swett’s Abi Lowry to just two points in the No. 1 singles (8-2). Both senior Meredith Stogner (No. 5 singles) and junior Greyson Way (No. 4 singles) also won their respective matches by the score of 8-2.
Junior Jayana Nicholson defeated McKenzie Cummings (8-1) in the No. 2 singles and junior Chloe Wiggins escaped Tierra Locklear (9-8) in the No. 6 singles, while senior Kathleen Pittman fell to Malina Cumming (8-9) in the No. 3 match.
Pittman, however, was able to earn a win — alongisde Buie — in the No. 1 doubles over Malina Cummings and Elysha Strickland (8-1). Nicholson and Way continued their dominance in the doubles by sweeping the No. 2 (8-0), and Wiggins and junior Taylor Parrish won the No. 3 doubles (8-2).
Richmond (6-3, 6-2 SAC) has now won six in a row, its fifth win of the season coming over Lumberton on Wednesday. It, once again, won five of the six singles and swept the doubles against the Lady Pirates.
Buie and Pittman had the toughest match in the doubles as they were forced to defeat Lumberton’s senior duo of Kaitlyn McDonald and Elizabeth Stanley by two points. Both Pittman and Way had the strongest peformances in the singles, only giving up two points each in their respective matches: Pittman dowing Stanley (6-0, 6-2) in the No. 3 spot and Way defeating McKnight Pope (6-1, 6-1) in the No. 4 spot.
Next week, the Lady Raiders play at Pinecrest on Tuesday and host Jack Britt on Thursday.
Reach sports editor Leon Hargrove Jr. at 910-817-2673 and follow the sports section on Twitter @RCDailySports.