The Patriots broke into the top 10 for the first time in the history of the program last week as number 10 and then defeated Chapel Hill 3-0 in their final regular-season match. They won the Mid-Southeastern Conference title with a 14-0 record and finished 19-1-1 overall.
As a number-one seed, the Patriots received a first-round bye in the state tournament. New Hanover, the number-three seed from the Mid-Eastern Conference defeated second-seeded Greenville Rose 3-0 earlier this week to earn the right to face the Patriots.
The winner of Saturday’s contest will face the winner of the South View-Wilmington Hoggard second-round match next week. Because of the pre-seeding of the conferences, that would be an away match for Pinecrest.
In other first round matches involving teams from the Mid-Southeastern Conference, it was Enloe 8, Jack Britt 0; Lumberton 5, Scotland 3; and Terry Sanford 8, Richmond 0.
