Sep. 28—Southern Lee tennis won for the sixth time this season in a strong performance Tuesday evening, as the Lady Cavaliers swept a conference match at Hoke 9-0.
Southern (6-4, 6-3 Sandhills) played the singles under pro rules, with six-points-to-win sets and a best-of-3 sets format. However, the Lady Cavaliers swept all five matches in straight sets. The doubles were played eight-to-win single sets, with Southern winning at 1-2 and the No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles defaulted.
Head coach Vickie Wilkins pulled a few of her starters out of the lineup against Hoke, which had just five players. In singles, going down the order that Wilkins deployed, Evie Eller defeated Alyssa Pridgen 6-0, 6-3; Blaire Young beat Kalea Parker 6-2, 6-2; CE Bryan blanked Azari McLean 6-0, 6-0; Gina DeCerbo held off Laura Pena 6-4, 6-4; and Brooke Burrus moved into the starting lineup and double-bageled Savanna Stenrod 6-0, 6-0.
In doubles, Eller and Bryan played No. 1 and beat Pridgen and Pena 8-2. Lily McLeod and Lexie Martinez teamed up to defeat Parker and McLean by the same score at No. 2.
Union Pines sweeps two from Raiders
Union Pines was also in action Tuesday, traveling to Rockingham and playing two SAC matches against Richmond County.
No doubles were played and the Lady Vikings (9-2) swept the singles in both matches. Except for Union Pines using a different 6 seed, the teams played the same lineups in both, with the host Raiders only winning more than four games in one individual match.
At the top of the order, Tyne Ross shut out Neely Turner 8-0 in both meetings. The No. 2 singles was the only one where Union Pines was ever challenged, as Abby Robertson defeated Hannah Smith 8-2 the first time, but had to go to a tiebreaker in the nightcap to prevail 9-8 (8-6). Madelyn Ragsdale scored a double-babel on Jentra Denson, beating her 8-0 both times. Bella Edwards beat Madison Grimes 8-1 and then 8-2. Ceilidh Clendenin downed Ella Scott both times by an identical 8-2 score. At No. 6, Kinsley Creel defeated Colbie Covington 8-4, and then Lynn Yoxtheimer faced Covington in the second match and blanked her 8-0.
Union Pines hosts Hoke County Monday.