The Rockbridge County High School girls tennis team suffered a pair of Shenandoah District losses to start the season, losing 9-0 at home on Thursday against Riverheads before falling 7-2 on Friday at Staunton.
The Wildcats were playing without two of their top six players, senior Corinna Allen at No. 1 and freshman Grace Maquera Ramos at No. 3.
Against Riverheads (2-0 overall and district), junior Diya Gandhi stepped in at No. 1 and suffered an 8-1 loss to Molly Fitzgerald. Moving up the ladder and playing the closest matches of the day were junior Jade Newhall at No. 5 and freshman Eliana Osbourne at No. 6, both battling hard before falling 8-6. Newhall and Osbourne teamed up at No. 3 doubles and lost 8-6.
At S taunton ( 1-1 o verall a nd district), RC freshman Eliana Osbourne earned an 8-4 win at No. 6 singles, and she teamed up with Newhall to capture an 8-4 victory at No. 3 doubles.
The Wildcats, under the direction of third-year head coach Mark Sholes and assistant coach Mike Moorman, have a mixture of youth and experience, with three seniors, four juniors, one sophomore and four freshmen.
From last year’s team, which went 0-13, the Wildcats graduated four seniors, led by No. 2 singles player Julia Newhall and Eleanor Goodhart at No. 3 singles.
RC’s co-captains this year are Allen and Gandhi. After seven years in the Valley District, the Wildcats have switched to the Shenandoah District. Due to renovations at the Lexington Golf & Country Club, they’re playing their home matches at the high school courts.
The Wildcats were scheduled to play at Fort Defiance on Monday and continue district action with home matches against Wilson Memorial today, Wednesday, and against Waynesboro on Thursday. They’ll start next week with a contest at Alleghany. All matches are scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
Riverheads 9, RC 0
SINGLES – Molly Fitzgerald (R) d. Diya Gandhi (RC) 8-1; Maci Eppard (R) d. Mila Baker (RC) 8-2; Erika Ashby (R) d. Claire Taylor (RC) 8-3; Miranda Ayers (R) d. Charlotte Taylor (RC) 8-0; Bryleigh Newlen (R) d. Jade Newhall (RC) 8-6; Rebekah Dudley (R) d. Eliana Osbourne (RC) 8-6.
DOUBLES – Fitzgerald and Eppard (R) d. Gandhi and Baker (RC) 8-0; Ashby and Ayers (R) d. Claire and Charlotte Taylor (RC) 8-3; Newlen and Dudley (R) d. Newhall and Osbourne (RC) 8-6.
Staunton 7, RC 2
SINGLES – Hayden Terry (S) d. Gandhi (RC) 8-0; Honesty Calloway (S) d. Baker (RC) 8-4; Lola Rohr (S) d. Claire Taylor (RC) 8-4; Lux Thompson (S) d. Charlotte Taylor (RC) 8-3; Livi Reed (S) d. Jade Newhall (RC) 8-3; Osbourne (RC) d. Kieran Puit (S) 8-4.
DOUBLES – Terry and Rohr (S) d. Gandhi and Baker (RC) 8-0; Thompson and Reed (S) d. Claire and Charlotte Taylor (RC) 8-3; Newhall and Osbourne (RC) d. Puit and Laura Medley (S) 8-4.
RC JUNIOR Jade Newhall returns a shot during her match at No. 5 singles. (Jonathan Schwab photo)
