Women’s Tennis:
Orange 7, Cedar Ridge 2: For the third year in a row, the Orange women’s tennis team will have a winning season.
Not only that, but with one more win, the Lady Panthers will have its most wins since they returned to the 3A ranks in 2012.
On Wednesday, Orange completed a season sweep of Cedar Ridge with a 7-2 win at Orange Tennis Courts. It concluded a long 48-hour stretch fo the Lady Panthers that started on Tuesday when they completed a suspended match against Walter Williams, then played an entire dual match against the Bulldogs.
Against the Red Wolves, Orange (11-4 overall, 5-3 in the Central Carolina Conference), senior Tea Jones had two wins on the day. At #4 singles, Jones won 6-4, 6-2. Jones teamed with senior Jinkie Andrews to win at #3 doubles 8-4. So far in 2021, Jones has an overall record of 16-8.
Cedar Ridge sophomore Cameron Mayhew also earned two wins on the afternoon. Mayhew captured her match at #1 singles 6-3, 7-5. After dark, Mayhew teamed with senior Chloe Patz at #1 doubles to win over Finley White and Grace Pell 8-1.
Pell, a sophomore, improved to 11-4 in singles action this year. At #2 singles, Pell prevailed in a three-set match over Patz 6-3, 2-6, 10-7 (10-point tiebreaker). It was the fifth time this year that Pell has played in a three-set match, and the second time it happened against Patz.
Senior Jinkie Andrews won 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 at #3 singles for Orange. Sophomore Erin Sollars and freshman Shannon Sollars earned singles victories for Orange.
Jera Hargrove & Erin Sollars won at #2 doubles 8-3.
Cedar Ridge 5, Northwood 4: On Monday, Cedar Ridge became the first women’s tennis team two hand Northwood a loss in CCC action.
After nearly three hours of action, the entire dual match came down to the final doubles match. Cedar Ridge’s freshmen duo of Ella Caltabiano and Adeline Cummings defeated Northwood’s Kaylee Fisher & Kendall Leberge 8-3 to earn the Red Wolves biggest win of the season.
Cedar Ridge captured three of the five singles matches. Sophomore Cameron Mayhew pulled out a tight match over Evelyn Lippers 7-6 (7-5), 7-5. Mayhew is 6-2 in singles action this year.
The Red Wolves won both singles matches that went to three sets. At #2, Patz defeated Julia Earnshaw 1-6, 6-2, 10-8. At #5 singles, senior Olivia Kelly defeated Fisher 6-2, 2-6, 10-8. Cummings won at #6 singles 6-1, 6-2.
Walter Williams 5, Orange 4: In the completion of a suspended match from earlier this month, Williams held off to take sole possession of 2nd place in the CCC.
The completion of the suspended match wasn’t decided until the final doubles match. Williams’ Kaori Naruse & Lauren Taylor defeated Andrews & Jones 9-7 to take the match. Pell and Andrews won singles matches for Orange.
Orange evened the overall dual match with wins at #1 and #2 doubles. Finley White and Grace Pell teamed to win at #1 doubles 8-6. At #2 doubles, Erin Sollars and Jera Hargrove won 8-2.
Williams 5, Orange 4: Another match that wasn’t decided until #3 doubles. White & Pell won at #1 doubles 8-5, while Hargrove & Sollars captured the #2 doubles match 8-1.
Pell won at #2 singles 8-3. Shannan Sollars won the only other Orange player to win a singles match, defeating Lauren Turner 8-5.
Orange is 11-4 overall, 5-3 in the CCC with two dual matches remaining in conference play. Orange will hold its senior night match next Thursday against Roxboro Community School.
Women’s Golf:
In the fourth Central Carolina Conference meet of the season, Cedar Ridge senior Olivia Aitkins had her best finish of the season at Caswell Pines Golf Course in Blanch. Aitkins finished with a 49 and wound up tied for fifth in a eight-team meet.
Aitkins, who committed to play softball at Amherst College last week, was the highest placer among any of the Hillsborough participants.
Orange’s Samantha Durham had her best round of the season with a 50, which was best among the Lady Panthers. Orange senior Sarah Durham had a 57. Shannon Dorsi, Kayla Pope and Lucia Godinez also participated.
Eastern Alamance’s Emily Matthews finished first with a 33. Western Alamance’s Makayla Martinez finished 2nd with a 39, and the Warriors won the overall team standings with 137. Northwood was second with 144.