Roundup: Lady Scots Tennis, Volleyball earn wins

LAURINBURG —Nearly a year after Charles Smith saved the Scotland women’s tennis season by volunteering to coach a sport he had little experience with, they started their 2024 season with a pair of victories over SAC rival Hoke County on Tuesday afternoon at the Scotland County Tennis Center & Ball Field. The Scots will start 2-0 after taking eight of nine matches that included six singles and three doubles matchups before following that up by winning five of six in more singles action. This was the first win for the program since Oct. 4, 2022.

It was a big day for freshman Kaleigh Leviner in her varsity tennis debut, earning a pair of singles victories over Hoke County’s Addison Price by a combined score of 16-7. Leviner also got a doubles win with junior Shay Ward as they defeated their opponents 8-2. Ward had an impressive day herself, defeating Razia Corbero 8-0 twice in their two singles matchups in addition to the doubles victory with Leviner.

Other singles victories for Scotland include senior Maleah Locklear over Azari McLean by an 8-4 score twice, Rhea Truesdell defeating Hera Lin two times and Smith’s daughter, Marissa Smith, earning a pair of singles wins herself. The Scots took all three doubles matchups with Locklear/Lilly Rankin, Truesdell/Smith and the aforementioned Ward/Leviner all taking down their opponents by at least an 8-3 margin.

The Scots will have a short turnaround and continue conference action with a matchup on Thursday against the Southern Lee Cavaliers. The matchup at Scotland County Tennis Center & Ball Field will start at 4 p.m.

Volleyball remains perfect with sweep at South View

Scotland volleyball continued their hot streak to start the 2024 season with a sweep of the South View Tigers, their second win over them in seven days. The Scots move to 4-0 on the season with the victory and still have not lost a single set this season.

Scotland dominated the first set 25-9, won the second set 25-19 and completed the sweep with a 25-21 victory in the final set. The Scots do not have South View on their schedule again in the regular season.

Senior Addison Johnson once again was a stat sheet stuffer with 21 kills, two aces, three digs and four assists in the win. Molly Gallagher recorded nine kills, five digs, two aces and four assists. Senior Reagan Malpass had 26 assists and added four kills. Junior Ramsey Hale and freshman Nora Teasley both added four kills while Jordyn Walker contributed four assists.

Scotland has three games over three days next week from Tuesday, Aug. 27 to Thursday, Aug. 29. They have two home games against conference opponents in Hoke County and Southern Lee with a trip to St. Pauls sandwiched between. Tuesday’s matchup is scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m.