SALISBURY – Salisbury needed four hours and a change of venue for its latest victory.
But that certainly doesn’t mean the Hornets are slipping.
A long-winded 6-3 win against 4A Lake Norman padded Salisbury’s resume and moved it to 15-2 overall Thursday. With darkness looming and no way to turn on the lights at Robertson Courts, the match moved to Salisbury Park where doubles matches were held.
“With that 4-2 advantage going into doubles, we always feel good,” Salisbury coach Chris Myers said. “I thought the girls looked great.”
Salisbury junior Anna Flynn surfaced a winner after a two-hour singles battle with Bella Dokell. Flynn won the first set 6-4 and dropped the second 3-6. The tiebreaker set was deadlocked at 5 before Flynn reeled off the final five points. Dokell was coming off a broken arm.
“I just had to not let up and keep winning points,” Flynn said. “You get tired but you just have to go on.”
When Flynn’s marathon win finally concluded, doubles matches started and the match moved to the other side of town at the turn.
Lake Norman (9-3) was led by No.1 Megan Mollen, who defeated Katelyn Storey 6-0, 6-0 to improve to 10-2 in singles play.
“Salisbury’s got a heck of a program,” Lake Norman coach Lezlie Carroll said. “To have a program and be able to get there year after year is great.”
Alexandra Drye won at No.2 singles 6-0, 6-2 against Constance Crisp. LN’s Elizabeth Farley won at No.4 singles 7-5, 6-2.
The No.5 and 6 singles matches produced wins via Madeline Hoskins and Kayla Honeycutt. Hoskins topped Sydney Rapier 6-1, 6-3 and Honeycutt prevailed against Mary Scott Lowery 6-0, 6-1.
In doubles, Drye/Meyerhoeffer and Hoskins/Honeycutt teamed up for 10-4 victories.
“The girls knew they’d be in for a tough match and it was,” Myers said. “When matches are tough and exciting as today was, it’s nice to send all three doubles team out there together.”
The Hornets took another step forward through a tough part of the schedule as defeated Charlotte Catholic last Friday for only the second time in 15 years. Defending 1A champion Mt. Airy comes to Salisbury Monday.
“These are the matches where the girls face some adversity,” Salisbury coach Chris Myers said. “This helps us come October and November.”