Randolph-Henry High School Girls Tennis Finishes Regular Season in First Place

By Shannon Feinman

After overcoming the Knights and the Raiders in one week, the Randolph-Henry Lady Statesmen tennis team finishes the regular season in first place in Courthouse Conference 37.

On Wednesday, May 11, the Lady Statesmen hosted the Buckingham County High School (B) Lady Knights for the second match-up of the season.  The Statesmen swept the match 9-0 continuing to show improvement in patience, ball placement, net play and perseverance.

In the first meeting of the season the Lady Statesmen had beaten the Knights 7-2.  Singles results for this match were #1 seed Meredith Feinman over Sydney Shiflett (B) 8-0, #2 seed Couper Webb over Rebecca Ragland (B) 8-0, #3 seed Alena Latysheva over Alex Ayala (B) 8-4, #4 seed Emily Toombs over Kimani Gough (B) 8-4, #5 seed Helen Lin over Kalie Gentry (B) 8-2, and #6 seed Tyler Whirley over Emily Vaughn (B) 8-4.  In exhibition play Emily Decamp, Grace Reynolds and Eliza Walker all posted wins.  In doubles competition results were #1 seed Feinman/Webb over Shifflett/Ayala (B) 8-1, #2 seed Toombs/Lin over Ragland/Gough (B) 9-7 and Latysheva/Morgan Mason over Gentry/Vaughn (B) 8-5.  In exhibition play Decamp/Walker won 6-1.

The team went on the road on Friday, May 13, but it was anything but an unlucky day.  In the last match of the regular season, the Lady Statesmen solidified their #1 position in the conference with a 7-2 win over the Lady Raiders of Appomattox County High School (A).  In singles results were #1 seed Meredith Feinman over Lauren Lawson (A) 8-0, #2 seed Couper Webb over Emily Guiliano (A) 8-2, #3 seed Mason Canada (A) over Alena Latysheva, #4 seed Emily Toombs over Alexis Depalmer (A) 8-0, #5 seed Helen Lin over Ilyana Servis (A) 8-2, and #6 seed Desiree Berkley (A) over Tyler Whirley 8-6.  In exhibition play Eliza Walker defeated Rachel Gililand (A) 8-3.  In doubles action #1 seed Feinman/Webb defeated Lawson/Canada (A) 8-2, #2 seed Toombs/Lin defeated Guiliano/Servis (A) 8-3 and #3 seed Latysheva/Whirley defeated Berkley/Jordan Garrett (A) 8-2. In exhibition play Lindsay Austin/Ansley Williams (A) defeated Grace Reynolds/Taylor Jones 8-2.

The Lady Statesmen will be back in action on Thursday, May 19 at 3:00 pm on their home courts for the Conference 37 team championships to reach regional competition.  They will face the winner of an Appomattox/Buckingham contest to be held on May 16.  On Friday, May 20 at 3:00 pm Meredith Feinman and Couper Webb will play for the singles and doubles individual Conference 37 title to reach regional play.

The Lady Statesmen are coached by Lindsay Walker Webb.  Come out and support the girls as they battle to represent RH at the next level.