ELIZABETHTOWN — The second and third doubles teams roared to victories Thursday, dropping just a game between them to lift East Bladen over Red Springs 5-4 in Three Rivers Conference tennis.
Seniors Ting Lin and Ashley Hardin, at No. 2, beat Aurely Cruz and Yadira Padron 8-0. Senior Carleigh DeVane and sophomore Carlie West, at No. 3, defeated Kennedy McNeill and Itzel Lopez 8-1.
In singles for the Lady Eagles at Nos. 3, 4 and 6, respectively, sophomore Lily Lin toppled Cruz 6-0, 6-1; Hardin turned back Padron 6-0, 6-1; and senior Sarah Meares defeated junior Francisca Meneses 6-2, 6-4.
Tie-breaker wins helped put Red Springs in position for the upset. East Bladen sophomore Sammi Jiang fell to Alexandra Macias 6-4, 4-6 (11-9), and senior Anna Kate White was denied by Stephanie Alejandro 2-6, 6-2 (10-4). Ting Lin fell 6-4, 6-4 to Hermelinda Mendoza in the top spot.
White-Lily Lin, at No. 1 doubles, were defeated by Mendoza-Alejandro 8-3.