Orange Women’s Tennis

Orange Panthers of the Week: Erin and Shannon Sollars

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week are Erin and Shannon Sollars. Erin and Shannon were a major part of the most successful tennis season in Orange High history, men’s or women’s. In 2022, Orange won a share of the Central Carolina Conference championship. It was the first conference championship in the sport of tennis in school history. Erin and Shannon Sollars were Orange’s top doubles team. Together, they won 19 matches, including reaching the finals of the 3A Mideast Regional doubles tournament. Erin and Shannon also teamed to defeat Abigail Brown & Jaden Wilson of Walter Williams 9-7 on September 27, which clinched a 5-4 win over Orange over the Bulldogs. That victory was the only conference loss for Williams this year. Erin and Shannon reached the 3A State Doubles tournament. In the opening round at the Burlington Tennis Center, they defeated Ellie Holtzman and Berkeley Geyer of Hickory 6-0, 6-2 to reach the state quarterfinals. This season, Erin Sollars had 27 overall victories, including 12 singles wins as the top singles player for Orange. Shannon Sollars finished with 29 victories, including 13 singles wins. Though Shannon and Erin were members of the varsity team in 2021, this was the first year they teamed together in doubles. It led to the best Orange tennis team in school history. 

Sollars sisters qualify for State Tennis Championships; Fike eliminates Orange

The most successful season in the history of the Orange women’s tennis team is over. But for Erinn and Shannon Sollars, it will continue on Friday in the 3A state doubles tournament.

Last week, the Sollars sisters finished runner-up in doubles play at the 3A Mideast Regionals at the Burlington Tennis Center. In the 16-team tournament, only the tandems that reach the semifinals quality for the 3A State Tournament. In the opening round, Erinn and Shannon Sollars defeated Sophie McLean and Andrea Romero of Harnett Central 6-0, 6-3. In the second round, which a trip to the state championships on the line, the Sollars defeated Destyn Rader and Ryan Tinervin 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 to advance to the semifinals.

On Saturday, the Sollars advanced to the regional championship match with a straight sets victory over Sophie Blankenship and Hannah Johnson of Terry Sanford 6-3, 6-2. With the victory, the Sollars became the first Orange doubles team to play for a 3A Regionals championship.

Cape Fear’s Brooke Bieniek and Anna Poland, the defending 3A State Champions, defeated the Sollars for the Mideast Regional championship. Earlier in the tournament, Bieniek and Poland defeated Orange’s other team to qualify for the regional championships, Sydney Rogers and Makayla Davis.

The Sollars became the first duo from Hillsborough to quality for the 3A State Championships since Cedar Ridge’s Olivia Ward and Alana Lutz in 2018.

In the opening round of the 3A State Tournament on Friday morning, the Sollars will face Ellie Holtzman and Berkley Geyer of Hickory High. It is another 16-team tournament.

This season, the Sollars are 17-4 as a team. They helped Orange win a share of its first conference championship in school history. The Lady Panthers tied Walter Williams for first place in the Central Carolina Conference with an 11-1 mark. In Orange’s 5-4 win over Williams on September 26, the Sollars earned the victory that essentially clinched the dual match, beating Abigail Brown and Jaden Wilson 9-7 at #1 doubles.

This season, Orange won a school-record 19 matches and reached the second round of the 3A State Dual Team Tournament. On Tuesday, Fike defeated Orange 6-0 in Wilson to advance to the second round. The Golden Demons, the champions of the Quad County Conference, avenged its loss to Orange in the opening round of the 2021 Dual Tournament. Rogers, who was undefeated in singles play this year for Orange, didn’t play on Tuesday due to an injury.

The loss ended Orange’s 15-match winning streak, a school record.

This season was the first time where the Sollars exclusively teamed together during doubles action. While they did team up at times during the 2021 campaign, they spent the majority of matches with other players.

They started playing doubles together in middle school at the downtown Mebane clinics on Saturday afternoons. After taking a few years off, they returned to the game when they started at Orange High. Last season, they helped Orange to a 16-5 record. Up to that point, it was the most successful season in team history. In the 2021 Mideast Regionals, Erinn Sollars teamed with Jera Hargrove, who is now a freshman at Tuskegee University. Shannon Sollars teamed with Tea Jones, who has also graduated.

Erinn Sollars, a junior, was Orange’s top singles players this season. She had 28 overall wins in 2022, including eleven singles victories. Shannon Sollars, a sophomore, was Orange’s #2 singles player and finished with an 13-6 singles record. She has 30 overall victories.

In other action in the 3A State Dual Tournament, Cape Fear defeated Walter Williams 5-1 in the second round on Tuesday.

Davis, Jones helps Orange women’s tennis soar over First Flight in 3A State Playoffs

It was a day that started at 9:20AM. It didn’t end 11:20PM.

In all, the Orange women’s tennis team drove to Kill Devil Hills for a journey that added up to 480 miles roundtrip. Once it was all said and done, the lasting feeling was satisfaction, along with the urgent need for a leg stretch.

Behind four singles wins, the Orange women’s tennis team defeated First Flight 5-2 to win in the opening round of the 3A State Dual Team Playoffs. Orange extended its school-record with 19 wins in a season. For the first time ever, the Lady Panthers tennis team has won matches in the state dual team playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

Orange, the co-champions of the Central Carolina Conference, defeated the co-champions of the Northeast Coastal Conference. The Nighthawks (10-2) shared the title with Holmes, a 2A team, with a 7-1 mark.

“It was a good match,” said Orange women’s tennis coach Justin Webb just after he parked the team bus at Orange High Tennis Courts late Wednesday night. “I thought both teams competed extremely hard. It was really interesting conditions.”

Orange advances to the Round of 16, where they will face Fike in Wilson next Tuesday. The Golden Demons, the Quad County Conference champions, defeated Croatan in the opening round on Tuesday.

Last season, Orange knocked off Fike for its first-ever win in the state dual team playoffs.

Webb and his players knew that the fall chill that’s permeated the Triangle this week would extend all the way to the east. When they finally got off the bus following a four-hour ride, they were greeted with wind gusts of 20 miles per hour that were imposing and constantly changing, but expected considering they were along the coast.

“It was very cold and windy,” Webb said. “It’s was pretty difficult conditions, but both teams had to deal with it. First Flight was very scrappy. They didn’t get us much. They were a very tough team and definitely didn’t make it easy on us. I’m sure the wind is something they’re used to, but we’re not.”

Even though Orange is a senior-laden team, the postseason was new for many of them. Of the seven starters who saw action on Wednesday, only two played in last year’s playoff victory over Fike.

“They were excited,” Webb said. “I felt when they were warming up and throughout the whole trip, they were excited about going to the beach. But they had a mission and a goal, and that was to win. I think they believed that if we were going to travel four hours, we’re doing to compete and we’re going to make it worth it.”

Orange never trailed in the match after senior Sydney Rogers extended her singles winning streak with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Chloe Rose at #4 singles. Rogers, the placekicker for the Orange football team, is 15-0 this season.

Senior Isabel Jones, a teammate of Rogers on the Orange women’s soccer team, put the Lady Panthers ahead 2-0 after a three-set victory over Stella Matzgannis, one of two singles matches to go the limit. Jones prevailed 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 (10-point tiebreaker). Lady Panthers’ junior Makayla Davis defeated sophomore Olivia Lillington 6-3, 6-3 at #3 singles, giving Orange a 3-0 lead. Davis has 23 wins overall in 2022.

In the final match of singles play, Orange sophomore Shannon Sollars defeated Heather Snyder, one of two senior starters for the Nighthawks, 7-5, 6-2. Sollars, who qualified for the 3A Mideast Regionals in doubles play with her older sister Erin, has won 13 singles matches in 2022.

The only doubles match to be completed clinched the match for Orange. Senior Katelyn Van Mater, who is a three-sport athlete, teamed with Jones to defeat Maura Trivette and Matzgannis 8-6.

Sophomore Annalise Snyder won the #1 singles match for First Flight. In the other three set match, Trivette held off Orange senior Madelyn Horn 6-4, 0-6, 12-10.

The victory added to a growing list of unprecedented accomplishments continues to grow. After winning its first conference championship in tennis earlier this month, Orange will try to reach the state quarterfinals next week.

The only women’s tennis team to ever reach the 3A State Quarterfinals in Hillsborough high history is the 2016 Cedar Ridge Red Wolves.

Orange Panther of the Week: Sydney Rogers

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior Sydney Rogers. It has been a remarkable year for Rogers, who became the first female to score a point for the Orange football team when she kicked an extra point against South Granville on August 19. Earlier that month, Rogers started practice for the Orange women’s tennis team. This fall, the Orange tennis team won a share of the Central Carolina Conference championship. It is the first Orange team to win a conference championship in tennis in the history of the school. Rogers went 13-0 as a singles player this year. Last week, she qualified for the 3A Mideast Regionals in doubles along with Makayla Davis. Last spring, Rogers was a staring midfielder for the Orange women’s soccer team, which had the deepest run in the state playoffs in school history. Rogers scored seven goals in the regular season. She helped Orange defeat Hargett Central in the opening round of the state playoffs. In the second round, Rogers started and won several crucial 50-50 balls as Orange defeated Cape Fear in Fayetteville. Once fall ends, Rogers will prepare for her senior soccer season. She will spend the winter playing indoor soccer in preparation for next spring’s soccer season. 

After CCC Championship, Orange women’s tennis travels to First Flight in 3A State Dual Tournament

There’s a long road to the 3A State Dual Tennis Championship.

But after Wednesday, the road may seem like a piece of cake considering the long trip that awaits the Orange women’s tennis team.

The Lady Panthers, who shared the Central Carolina Conference championship with Walter Williams, will take a four-hour road trip to Kill Devil Hills to face First Flight this afternoon. The pairings for the 32-team 3A State Dual Team Tournament were released on Monday afternoon by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

The Lady Panthers, already with a school-record 18 wins against two losses, received an 11-seed. First Flight (10-1) tied with Holmes High for the 3A/2A Northeastern Coastal Conference championship with a 7-1 league mark.

The winner of Orange/First Flight will face the winner of Fike and Croatan in the second round.

Orange goes into the match on a school-record 14-match winning streak. The Lady Panthers last loss came against Williams on August 31 when they fell 8-1.

The dual tournament continues a busy period for the Lady Panthers. Last Thursday, they competed in the Central Carolina Conference Tournament at the Burlington Tennis Center. The conference tournament has ceased crowning a singles and doubles champion and is primarily an event to qualify players for the Mideast Regionals, which will take place this weekend.

Orange’s top doubles team of Shannon and Erin Sollars received a top-seed for the conference tournament and didn’t play any matches. Instead, they automatically qualified for the regional tournament.

The same applies to Cedar Ridge’s top singles player, Cameron Mayhew, who was the only Red Wolf to qualify for regionals.

The Orange doubles team of Makayla Davis and Sydney Rogers qualified for regionals. Davis and Rogers, seeded fifth, defeated Person’s Zita Tong and Kalei Stephens 6-0, 6-0 in the opening round. With a spot at regionals on the line, Davis and Rogers defeated Cedar Ridge’s Catherine Ballenger and Ella Caltabiano 6-4, 6-4. This season, Davis and Rogers were 9-4 as a team.

The Sollars sisters are 14-3 as a doubles team this season.

In the singles tournament, Cedar Ridge sophomore Adeline Cummings defeated Orange senior Madelyn Horn in the opening round 6-0, 6-1. Walter Williams Jaden Wilson knocked off Cummings in the second round. Cummings, a sophomore, ended her season with eleven singles wins.

Orange senior Isabel Jones opened the singles tournament with a victory over Isabel Baker 6-1, 6-0. In the second round, Eastern Alamance’s Rocio Rosa defeated Jones 6-3, 6-0.

Cedar Ridge’s doubles team of Ballenger and Caltabiano opened with a victory over a team from Eastern Alamance.

Mayhew, the younger sister of Cedar Ridge’s conference champion Josh Mayhew, will go into regionals with momentum. She started as the top singles player for the Red Wolves in each of the dual matches for the second half of the season. She defeated every #1 player from all the conference teams, including Walter Willams’ Abigail Brown, who retired in the second set of their match on October 10.

Williams earned the #1 seed into the 3A State Dual Tournament. They will host Harnett Central in the opening round on Wednesday.

First of their kind; Orange women wins first tennis conference championship in school history

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year.

When Orange women’s tennis coach Justin Webb held his first practice under a sweltering sun on August 1, eight players showed up. Only one of them was among his top six singles players from the 2021 squad, which was the first team in school history to win a match in the State Dual Playoffs.

Ten weeks later, Webb can say with certainty that eight was enough.

Last Thursday, the Lady Panthers defeated Eastern Alamance 8-1 to persevere a share of the Central Carolina Conference championship. Orange became the first team, men’s or women’s, to win a conference championship in tennis in the 61-year history of the school.

At the very least, Orange and Walter Williams will tie for the conference championship. Orange finished its conference slate 11-1. Williams still has dual matches against Eastern Alamance and Person this week. The Central Carolina Conference singles and doubles tournament begins on Friday at the Burlington Tennis Center.

Orange is now guaranteed a spot in the 3A State Dual Team Tournament, which will start next Wednesday. In terms of wins, it is already the most successful tennis team in school history with an 18-2 overall record following Monday’s win over Riverside, which concluded the regular season.

When Webb is asked whether he anticipated this group being Orange’s first conference championship team in tennis, his answer starts with a chuckle.

“If I’m being honest, it was not something that I predicted,” Webb said. “But I have to give it to the girls. We’ve been about seven or eight players deep throughout most of the season. Our group of girls has stayed committed. They’ve worked hard every day.”

Junior Erin Sollars and her younger sister Shannon have filled the top two singes slots most of the season. The Sollars’ sisters are also Orange’s top doubles team. In Orange’s 5-4 win over Williams on September 27, the Sollars sisters won 9-7 and clinched the dual match. Overall, the Sollars sisters are 14-2 in doubles play.

Shannon Sollars has a 12-5 singles record.

In order for Orange to have a successful season, several first-time starters would need a strong campaign. That’s where the emergence of senior Madelyn Horn has been so valuable. Horn, in her first year as a regular player, compiled a 27-4 overall record. She was 18-2 in singles matches. Horn and doubles partner Grace Allred are 6-0.

Junior Makayla Davis, another first year starter, went 10-7 in singles matches. Along with partner Isabel Jones, she compiled a 10-3 doubles mark.

At a time when multi-sport athletes have become scarce, Webb has a roster full of women who compete year around. Among his top singles players is Sydney Rogers, who frequently spends her early evenings going directly from tennis practice to football practice, where she is the kicker for head football coach DeVante Pettiford. In August, Rogers became the first female to score a point in Orange High football history.

This year, Rogers was 14-0 in singles matches. Including doubles play, she has 21 overall wins.

Two other singles players, Isabel Jones and Katelyn Van Mater, both play soccer. Along with Rogers, Jones and Van Mater helped the Orange women’s soccer team to its deepest run in the state playoffs ever last spring. They reached the third round after beating Harnett Central in Angier, followed by a victory over Cape Fear in Fayetteville.

Van Mater has also been a regular rotation player in basketball for Orange coach B.J. Condron since her freshman year. Last winter, the Orange women’s basketball team was the only hardwood squad from Hillsborough to reach the state playoffs.

“This is a special group of girls,” Webb said. “These girls don’t get tired. One of the things that I’ve never had to do was coach effort. These girls have gone out all season and competed extremely hard. That’s what has made it special. These are all competitors. They’re all winners in other sports, as well as tennis, now. They have this mentality about them that they want to go out there and win every match.”

After Orange defeated Eastern Alamance last week to take a share of the title, Webb called Andy Brown, the former Orange High Athletic Director and men’s basketball coach who also coached men’s and women’s tennis in his final years before retirement.

Webb coached the men’s team while Brown coached the women’s team before Webb replaced him.

“He’s been a good friend and a good mentor,” Webb said. “He started a good foundation at Orange before I arrived. He really started the foundation for this championship.”

Orange Panther of the Week: Madelyn Horn

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior tennis player Madelyn Horn. This season, Horn is in her first season as a starter for the Orange women’s tennis team. She has proven to be a valuable presence as Orange has reached the top of the Central Carolina Conference. During the week of September 11-17, Horn won all three of her singles matches. On September 12, she won her match against Northwood 6-2, 6-2 as the Panthers defeated the Chargers 7-2. Two days later, Horn defeated Ryan Foley of Riverside 8-4. The following day, Horn won two matches against Roxboro Community School. At #5 singles, Horn won 8-4. Later in the day, Horn teamed with junior Grace Allred to win at #3 doubles 8-4. This season, Horn has won 21 matches overall. She has a 13-2 record in singles matches. She is 8-2 as a doubles player. Orange is looking for its first automatic trip to the State Dual Team Playoffs since they joined the 3A ranks in the early 2010s. Orange will continue its season later today at Cedar Ridge. The Lady Panthers have won nine in a row. 

Sollars’ sisters doubles win lead Orange tennis past Williams 5-4, tie for 1st in CCC

Nearly two months ago, the Orange women’s tennis team started practice under the hot August sun with eight players.

They weren’t big on numbers, but there was plenty of experience.

Now, the Lady Panthers are tied for first place in the Central Carolina Conference after beating the defending league champions.

Erin and Shannon Sollars won the final doubles match to clinch a 5-4 win over previously undefeated Walter Williams at Orange Tennis Courts on Monday night in Hillsborough. The victory tied Orange with the Bulldogs for first place in the loss column in the Central Carolina Conference. Orange (13-2, 8-1 in the CCC) has four conference matches remaining.

Williams played without two of its top six players, but still managed to extend the match to the very end.

“There were some close matches that fell our way,” said Orange women’s tennis coach Justin Webb. “Our girls earned it, but it was very close. It could have gone either way easily.”

In the final match of the night, Erin and Shannon Sollars trailed against Abigail Brown and Jaden Wilson 7-6, then won the last three games to prevail 9-7. In dual team matches, doubles are usually the last matches contested and are often played to eight games instead of the full two sets.

Erin and Shannon Sollars are now 10-2 as a tandem this season and have won its last seven matches.

“Shannon and Erin are playing very well for us,” Webb said. “They’re two very good competitors. I don’t have to teach them how to be competitive. And when you play with your sister, it gives you a lot of confidence.”

The two teams split the six singles matches. Erin Sollars won at #1 singles 6-3, 6-3 over Brown. Junior Makayla Davis, who has won 17 matches overall this year, prevailed over Lauren Tuner at #3 singles 6-1, 6-3. Senior Sydney Rogers, the kicker for the Orange football team, won the longest match of the night against Gracie Hartle. Rogers was extended to a 10-point tiebreaker in the third set before winning 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 10-4.

So far this year, Rogers has been a starter for the Orange women’s soccer team that made the deepest playoff run in team history, reaching the 3rd round of the 3A State Playoffs after beating Cape Fear in Fayetteville. In August, she became the first female to score a point in an Orange football game when she kicked an extra point against South Granville. She is 11-0 in singles matches this year.

Orange senior Madelyn Horn, who is in her first year as a starter, won at #6 singles 6-1, 6-0.

“Between Erin, Shannon and Makayla Davis, who has played #3 singles for us, they have more experience,” Webb said. “And then Maddie Horn, she’s probably the most experienced player. She fills a good spot for us at #6 singles that we need for us.”

Williams’ sophomore Jaden Wilson defeated Shannon Sollars 6-3, 6-2. Grace Gabrielli defeated Isabel Jones 6-3, 6-3.

Orange won two of the three doubles matches to take the match. In addition to the Sollars’ sisters, Isabel Jones and Katelyn Van Mater defeated Gabrielli and Mary Bryan 8-1.

Orange has now won nine matches in a row.

“We still have a lot more tough matches to go,” Webb said. “It’s nice to get a win over Williams, but we still have a lot more work to do.”

Orange has never won a conference championship in women’s tennis. Last season, they won a match in the 3A State Dual Team Tournament for the first time ever, beating Fike High School in Wilson. Orange will face crosstown rival Cedar Ridge on Wednesday at Red Wolves Tennis Courts.

Odds and Sods: Orange, Cedar Ridge women’s tennis finish winning week; women’s golf scores

Women’s tennis: Orange 9, J.F. Webb 0 (Thursday): The Orange women’s tennis team improved to 12-2 with a 9-0 victory over the Warriors on Thursday at Orange High Tennis Courts. Last year, the Lady Panthers set what is believed to be a school record with 16 team wins, including a victory in the 3A State Dual Team Playoffs over Wilson Fike.

The current edition of the Lady Panthers still has six regular season matches remaining, including a crucial match against Williams on Monday. The Bulldogs hold a one-game lead over Orange for first place in the Central Carolina Conference.

In Thursday’s nonconfernece match against J.F. Webb, many first-time starters had a chance to show their talent. Senior Isabel Jones, a regular stater, was slotted at #1 singles for the first time and won 8-0. Another senior, Madelyn Horn, won at #2 8-0. Grace Allred got a start at #3 singles to win her match. Aubrey Petrosanu won at #4 singles 8-2. At #5 singles, freshman Nora Plummer captured her match 5-3. Another freshman, Lindsey Woodell completed the sweep at singles with an 8-0 victory.

Makayla Davis and Katelyn Van Mater teamed at #1 doubles to win 8-0. Horn and Allred won at #2 doubles 8-0. Petrosanu and Woodell won at #3 doubles to finish the sweep 8-0.

Orange 8, Western Alamance 1 (Wednesday): Orange started the second half of its conference schedule on Wednesday with a road win over Western Alamance in Elon. The Lady Panthers completed a season sweep of the Warriors. On August 29, the Lady Panthers defeated the Warriors 8-1 in Hillsborough.

Sophomore Shannon Sollars, seniors Isabel Jones, Sydney Rogers and Madelyn Horn each had two wins on the day. Sollars won her singles match over Saran McLaughlin 6-1, 6-2. At #1 doubles, Sollars teamed with her older sister, Erin, to win 8-2. Shannon Sollars has 18 overall wins this season, including a 9-3 record in singles.

Jones took a 6-0, 6-1 victory at #5 singles. She teamed with Rogers to win at #2 doubles 8-4. Earlier, Rogers won her singles match 6-3, 6-2.

Horn, at #6 singles, prevailed when her opponent retired after the first set, which Horn won 6-0. Horn joined Katelyn Van Mater to win 8-0 at #3 doubles.

Davis, at #3 singles, worked overtime to win the only three-set match of the day. McLaughlin defeated Reagan Williams 6-2, 4-6, 10-6. Sydney Rogers, at #4 singles, defeated Kensley Gasaway 6-3, 6-2.

Cedar Ridge 9, Person 0: In its only match of this week, the Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team rolled past Person at Red Wolves Tennis Courts. #1 singles player Adeline Cummings, a sophomore, won her match at #1 singles 6-0, 6-0. Cameron Mayhew won at #2 singles 6-0, 6-1.

Sophomore Ella Caltabiano, junior Annabeth Lundberg, junior Catherine Ballenger and junior Raven Mowles-Airing all won two matches on the afternoon. Caltabiano won at #3 singles 6-0, 6-0. She teamed with Ballenger to win 8-1 at #1 doubles.

Lundberg, started at #5 singles, won 6-1, 6-0. She teamed with Mowles-Aring at #2 doubles to prevail 8-1. Earlier, Mowles-Aring captured her singles match 6-0, 6-0.

At #3 doubles, Molly Alvesson and Addie Payne won at #3 doubles 8-0. The Red Wolves are now 7-5, 5-2 in the Central Carolina Conference. The Red Wolves remain in contention for a wildcard spot for the 3A State Dual Team Playoffs.

Women’s Golf: On Thursday, the Cedar Ridge and Orange women’s golf teams participated in a Central Carolina Conference match at Roxboro Country Club.

The top local finisher was Orange’s Samantha Durham, who finished with a 54. Durham finished tied for ninth overall on the day.

The overall winner was Eastern Alamance’s Emily Matthew, who shot a 33 in nine holes. Western Alamance’s Mary Allen Massey was in second with a 37. Northwood’s Lily Jordan carded a 40.

The Lady Panthers’ Shannon Dorsi finished with a 55. Orange’s Shannon Murphy had a 56. Kayla Pope carded a 67 while Orange’s Rylie Digiliramo had a 67.

Victoria Matthew led Cedar Ridge with a 67. The Red Wolves’ Alice Ann Kohler and Emily Worthy each finished with a 71.

Western Alamance won the team competition with a 133. Eastern Alamance was second at 142. Orange finished fourth at 165. Cedar Ridge registered 209.

Odds and Sods: Orange women’s tennis finishes week undefeated; first CCC golf meet concludes

Women’s Tennis:

Orange 7, Roxboro Community School 2: Another strong week for the Orange women’s tennis team concluded with a victory over Roxboro Community School in Person County on Thursday.

Senior Madelyn Horn claimed two wins for the Lady Panthers. She won her match at #5 singles, then won her doubles match. Orange is now 9-2 overall. They’re 4-1 in the Central Carolina Conference, behind only Walter Williams. The Lady Panthers will resume CCC action when they travel to Eastern Alamance on Monday afternoon.

Cedar Ridge 7, Western Alamance 2: The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team remains in the hunt for a spot in the state dual tournament after beating Western Alamance 8-1 on Thursday in Elon. Junior Cameron Mayhew won her #2 singles match 6-0, 6-0, then teamed with Adeline Cummings to claim a victory at #1 doubles 8-2.

Cedar Ridge sophomore Ella Caltabiano didn’t win her match at #3 singles, but she may have claimed the award for longest match in the CCC this year in terms of points played. Reagan Williams of Western Alamance worked double overtime to win her match over Caltabiano 6-4, 3-6, 16-14 (10-point tiebreaker).

Not to be outdone, Cedar Ridge junior Catherine Ballenger had her own 10-point tiebreaker at #3 singles. Ballenger defeated Western Alamance’s Kensley Gasaway 6-3, 5-7, 10-4. Ballenger and Caltabiano, a doubles team that could be dubbed “The Ironwomen,” fittingly teamed later in the night to win at #2 doubles 8-2.

Cedar Ridge sophomore Raven Mowles-Aring won her match at #5 singles 6-0, 6-3. Molly Alverson won at #6 singles by default. The Red Wolves are 6-5, 4-2 in the CCC. They will travel to the Durham School of the Arts later today.

Orange

Walter Williams 7, Cedar Ridge 1: On Wednesday, Williams maintained its undefeated record in the CCC with a victory at Red Wolves Tennis Courts.

Cameron Mayhew won at #2 singles for Cedar Ridge over Jaden Wilson is another three-set battle. Mayhew prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 12-10. Caltabiano played in yet another match that went three sets. Ella Forfilio defeated Caltabiano 3-6, 6-3, 10-4. The Bulldogs ended the match 5-0 overall, 4-0 in the CCC.

Orange 7, Riverside 2: On Wednesday, the Orange women’s tennis team extended its winning streak to four with a win over Riverside at Orange Tennis Courts. All of the matches were contained to one set comprised of eight games.

Lady Panthers sophomore Shannon Sollars won at #2 singles 8-0. At #1 doubles, Sollars teamed with her older sister Erin Sollars to win 8-1. At #3 singles, Makayla Davis won 8-2. Davis now has 13 overall wins this season after she teamed with Sydney Rogers to claim an 8-5 victory at #2 doubles.

Rogers, who has eleven overall victories this year, won at #4 singles 8-1.

Senior Madelyn Horn improved to 14-4 in all competitions this year. Horn won at #6 singles 8-4.

At #3 doubles, Isabel Jones and Katelyn Van Mater claimed their second win in as many days with an 8-2 victory. On Tuesday, Jones and Van Mater teamed to win over Northwood’s #3 doubles team.

Men’s Soccer: Northwood 3, Cedar Ridge 0 The Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team played for the second time in two nights on Thursday at Red Wolves Stadium. Northwood scored the game-winning goal in the 61st minute to beat the Red Wolves. The Chargers added insurance with 11:14 remaining. Cedar Ridge is now 3-6-1 overall, 1-2 in the CCC.

Women’s Golf: Orange and Cedar Ridge participated in this week’s CCC golf meet at Northwood High School on Monday.

Among teams that had more than four competitors, Orange finished fourth among four teams. Shannon Murphy was the top competitor for Orange, shooting a 49 on the front nine. Samantha Durham finished with a 55. Shannon Dorsi and Kayla Pope also competed for Orange.

Eastern Alamance wound up finishing first.