FAYETTEVILLE — After collecting three wins in as many days last week, the Richmond Senior volleyball team picked up where they left off, securing a straight-sets victory over visiting Sandhills Athletic Conference opponent Seventy-First on Tuesday.

The scores were 25-20, 25-20 and 25-14.

A similar circumstance is unfolding, as the team shutout Hoke to start the winning streak last Tuesday.

Richmond (9-1, 4-1 SAC) assistant coach Melissa Dennis, wanted the group to keep that in mind heading into the final set against Seventy-First (2-5, 2-3 SAC).

“Go ahead and finish it now,” she said to the team. “With three games last week, we got three games this week, so we got to get the ball rolling.”

The Lady Raiders heeded the message to the tune of 10 unanswered points to start the third frame. A big lead grew smaller after a Lady Falcons’ run cut the margin to 12-8.

But as Dennis pointed out after the match, the front row kept the defense moving, powered by middle hitters Jakerra Covington and Georgia Grace Anderson who had a “big” game at the net.

Covington finished with a team-high eight kills and a pair of blocks. She closed out the first set with a thunderous kill, then followed it with a stuffing block to take the 25-21 advantage. In the third, her spike gave the Lady Raiders the 25-14 win to snag their fourth consecutive victory.

Anderson posed problems with her length throughout the match, adding seven kills and one block.

Dennis also complimented the defensive effort in closing out sets and staving off runs.

“Our defense, in the back row, didn’t let a lot of balls hit the ground,” said Dennis. “A lot of their points were on crazy errors. We were moving in the back row tonight.”

Layne Maultsby ended with a team-leading nine digs, while Emy Cooley chipped in with five, while Jaydn Johnson added three.

The Lady Raiders host non-conference opponent Uwharrie Charter on Wednesday, a different challenge that Dennis and Co. will have to prepare for without an extended practice.

“It’s hard to say when it’s an opponent you haven’t faced yet,” she said. “So right now, before we see a team, we just need to focus on what we’re doing right…stuff that we know we can control.”

Setter Carley Lambeth had a team-high four aces, while Madison Jordan added three aces in the win.

In the junior varsity match, the Lady Raiders saw its winning streak halted, falling 2-1 to the Lady Falcons by scores of 21-25, 25-16 and 26-28.

Donnell Coley| Richmond County Daily Journal Richmond Senior’s Jakerra Covington, front left, Jadyn Johnson, Madison Jordan (12) and assistant coach Melissa Dennis, back, celebrate a point in the first set of a home match against Seventy-First on Tuesday.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_IMG_1338-1.jpgDonnell Coley| Richmond County Daily Journal Richmond Senior’s Jakerra Covington, front left, Jadyn Johnson, Madison Jordan (12) and assistant coach Melissa Dennis, back, celebrate a point in the first set of a home match against Seventy-First on Tuesday.
Lady Raiders drop Lady Falcons 3-0

By Donnell Coley

Sports Editor

Donnell Coley can be reached at 910-817-2671 or by email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @Sportsinmyveins.