The RRHS Lady Jackets tennis team finally played a 
home match on Thursday afternoon, hosting the Wildcats 
of Bunn. 

Things started out slowly for the Lady Jackets, dropping 
two of their first four matches. 
RRHS’s #1 seed Jenny Sheley dropped her match to one 
of Bunn’s two returning players, Charolette Murphy, 2-6, 
2-6. 
The Lady Jackets’ #3 seed, Emily Burnette, also dropped 
her singles match to a very talented Kayla Sellers, 4-6, 
2-6. 
Both Sheley and Burnette would redeem their losses in 
doubles play, though, as the Lady Jackets went on to roll 
past the Lady Wildcats, 7-2. 

The RRHS ladies were paced by strong performances from 
#2 seed Addie Nixon, #4 seed Mary Alice Clements, and 
#5 seed Mary Carlson. Nixon defeated Bunn’s only other 
returning player from last year, Nancy Contreras, 6-1, 6-2. 
Clements topped Madison Whitby 6-0, 6-2, and Carlson aced 
Taylor Ellis, 6-0, 6-0. 
#6 seed Emma Barber had a real fight on her hands with 
the Wildcats’ #6 seed Sage Moore. Barber won the first set 
7-5. Moore came screaming back to take the second set 1-6, 
leading to a tie break for the match. After dropping four of 
the first five points of the tie break, Barber scratched her 
way back into the game to win the tie break, 10-8, thus 
giving Barber the victory. 

The #1 doubles match-up between RRHS’s duo of Sheley 
and Nixon proved to be sweet revenge as they faced off 
against Murphy and Contreras. The Jackets pair knocked 
off their opponents 8-1. This was a redeeming match for 
both Jackets players. Sheley was able to collect herself 
after losing to Murphy in singles and play a very good 
doubles match. This win was especially sweet for Nixon. 
She and Murphy, both juniors, faced each other twice 
during the 2013 season as #3 seeds. Murphy won both 
matches last year. Nixon said this may have been the most 
satisfying win of the season for her so far.
 
Asst. Coach Robert Sledge spoke with Nixon briefly after 
the match. She stated to him  "this was something I have 
been looking forward to for a year." Nixon added, “My 
adrenaline was pumping so hard that I’m still shaking. 
This was really good!” 

Burnette was able to avenge her earlier loss and she and 
teammate Clements paired up to beat Bunn’s #2 team of 
Sellers and Whitby 8-2. In the final match, Carlson paired 
with Joan Navarro to defeat Bunn’s Khlud Youssef and 
Carlye Wegenast, 8-5. 

Thursday’s victory brings the Lady Jackets’ record to 4-1 
in the Northern Carolina 2-A conference. 

They will face a very tough Durham School of the Arts team 
next Tuesday, September 30, at the TJ Davis Recreation Center. 
The match is scheduled to begin at 4:30 PM. 

The Jacket Tennis team would really love to see you come 
out and support our Lady Jackets. 

More photos can be seen at: 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152671304080519.1073742041.131841195518&type=3&uploaded=8