Marvin Ridge's girls tennis team beat Weddington 7-2 on Thursday, Aug. 27, handing the Warriors their first loss of the season. The win gave the Mavericks sole possession of first place in the Southern Carolina Conference (SCC).

Marvin Ridge improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in SCC play. Weddington, which entered the match unbeaten at 6-0, fell to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in conference, the Enquirer Journal reported.

The Mavericks controlled the match early. They pulled ahead in singles play to build a lead the Warriors could not overcome.

Weddington's 6-0 start

Weddington coach Mike Murphy, who returned to lead the program in 2023 after originally coaching the Warriors from 2005 to 2017, had called his 2026 squad the deepest he has coached. The Warriors rolled through their first six opponents: Carmel Christian (8-1), East Lincoln (9-0), Charlotte Christian (9-0), Cox Mill (5-4), Charlotte Catholic (5-4) and Hough (8-1).

Junior Evie Kayes carried a 6-0 record in No. 1 singles entering the Marvin Ridge match. Sophomore Mackenzie Kirby was 5-0 at No. 4 singles.

Before the match, Murphy told the Enquirer Journal he expected a tough test. He said Marvin Ridge had improved from a year ago and added a strong freshman at the top of the lineup. "Their top four lines are all very good players and it will be tough matchups for our team," Murphy said in an Aug. 27 preview.

Marvin Ridge building momentum

The win over Weddington capped a strong opening stretch for the Mavericks in conference play. Marvin Ridge opened its SCC season with a tight 5-4 victory over Cuthbertson on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at home.

In that match, according to the Enquirer Journal, freshman Amy Wang won at No. 2 singles, senior Riona Ray took No. 3 singles and sophomore Clara Jamison won at No. 4 singles. Cuthbertson freshman Ayana Govind defeated Marvin Ridge senior Eleri Pratiknjo at No. 1 singles.

Two SCC wins give Marvin Ridge a cushion atop the conference standings heading into the heart of the schedule.

What's ahead

Both teams had matches lined up after the Aug. 27 result. Marvin Ridge hosted Porter Ridge on Monday, Aug. 31, and Weddington faced Ardrey Kell that same evening, with the start time pushed to 5:30 p.m. because of heat. Results from those matches had not been reported as of Monday, Aug. 31.

The next SCC matchup between the two rivals has not been announced.