Ridgecroft sweeps NEA
Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 10, 2005
LASKER – Ridgecroft took a three-set victory over Northeast Academy here Thursday afternoon.
The Lady Rams cruised to a 25-7 first-set win and then won set two 25-16 before surviving 25-22 in the final set.
Victoria Brown started Ridgecroft on the right foot, when her winning shot started a five-point rally that gave the Rams a 6-1 advantage. Jo Revelle Murray scored five of those points on her serve.
After pushing the advantage to 10-4, Lauren Lilley scored six consecutive points on her serve, including a Keli Martin kill to push the lead to 15-4. The Rams then went on to claim the first-set win.
It was Lilley’s serve again in the second set that helped the Lady Rams pull away. She scored three consecutive points to help Ridgecroft take a 10-4 lead. Sarah Tinkham then had three points to push the advantage to 14-6.
Lindsey Bridgers led the way for Northeast, with three service aces during the set, but Ridgecroft took a 25-16 win.
The Lady Rams took an early lead in the third set, but Northeast rallied back to keep the set close.
Murray had a kill that sparked a six-point run for the Rams. Shirley Lee Spruill served five of those points, including an ace while Sarah Beth Greene and Brown each had kills.
Brooke Bennett and London Harrell served the Lady Eagles back into the set, scoring five points between them to cut the Ridgecroft advantage to 12-10.
Tinkham had a kill to stop the Northeast rally and helped the Rams go back ahead 17-13.
Danielle Holloman rolled off three consecutive points for Northeast to trim the lead to one, setting the stage for the NEA rally. A pair of points on Jessica Duncan’s serve got the score deadlocked at 18-all.
Lilley, however, answered for Ridgecroft again, scoring four consecutive points on her serve to help the Rams go on to a 25-22 win.
Ridgecroft’s next match will come Monday when they travel to Hertford County for a 4 p.m. contest while Northeast will host Terra Ceia Tuesday at the same time.