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RMA rolls past Faith Christian in NCISAA girls' tennis playoffs
By Josh walfish ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Sports Writer
If there’s one thing Rocky Mount Academy’s top players are not lacking, it’s confidence.
The problem for the Eagles is the bottom of their lineup is battling some morale issues.
It didn’t matter Thursday in the first round of the NCISAA playoffs, where Rocky Mount Academy defeated cross-town rival Faith Christian, 7-2. The sixth-seeded Eagles now travel to face No. 3 Kinston Parrott on Tuesday.
“Our top three played exceptionally well in singles,” coach Gayle High said. “Our No. 6 didn’t have any issues (either), she played great.”
The Eagles’ confidence begins on the doubles court where they have been good all season long. That was the case again Thursday as the Rocky Mount Academy duos blitzed Faith Christian’s teams with little resistance.
Staked to that 3-0 lead, Julia High made quick work of Alex Chenny at No. 1 singles, and Haven Ross defeated Mackenzie Williams at No. 2 to secure the match for Rocky Mount Academy.
Sam Sconyers and Ann Summer Thorp added straight set wins for the Eagles.
Those four players lost a combined five games in their matches and simply overpowered their opponents en route to victory. It was a demonstration of the confidence they have in their abilities.
That was not the case at Nos. 4 and 5, where Lindsey Ross and Elizabeth Gay struggled. After the two played well in the doubles portion of the match, they both struggled to consistently place the ball in singles play.
After Lindsey Ross dropped the first set, Gayle High told her to simply keep smiling and erase the memory of the first set. She was far more competitive in the second set, but could not find the strong game that she showcased in doubles.
Meanwhile, Gay took the first set comfortably, but she struggled to regain that form in the second set and the third-set tiebreaker.
In the third set, Gay fell behind 8-3, but battled back to 9-8 before finally succumbing and dumping a ball into the net.
“It became a bit of a head game for both of them,” Gayle High said. “They’re going to get together this weekend and hit some tennis balls and hopefully they’ll find their rhythym and feel good about it again.”
The girls will need to regain their confidence quickly as the trip to Kinston looms.
Parrott defeated Rocky Mount Academy both times the schools met this season. The Eagles lost the first match, 8-1, and the second, 5-4 – although Parrott was missing its top player that day.
If the Eagles stand a chance at advancing to the state semifinals, they will need to squeeze out two or three wins on the doubles court. Rocky Mount Academy was competitive in doubles the first time it faced Parrott, but dropped all three points.
But even if the Eagles score all three doubles points, they will need two singles victories. One will likely come from Julia High, who is unbeaten this season, but players like Gay and Lindsey Ross will be crucial in securing that second point.
“(We’re going to need) three doubles wins, focus and confidence (to beat Parrott),” Gayle High said. “We have a long road ahead of us.”
