Richmond’s first varsity girls tennis dual this week was no lopsided affair.

On Monday, the Spartans hosted Cameron in nonconference play at Maurice Roberts Park. With eight of the nine matches completed, the score was 4-4. The winner of the No. 3 singles match would decide it.

That winner was Richmond junior Camille Green.

Green downed Macy Essary 8-4 to cap Richmond’s 5-4 win. The victory put the Spartans at 4-5 in duals entering a three-dual road swing.

“I think I did pretty well,” she said. “I think I could’ve had some better groundstrokes.”

Essary, a senior who’s returning to tennis after a yearlong break, tends to push her opponents, according to Cameron coach Andrew Thogmartin.

“Her big, big strength is rallies and just drawing them out,” Thogmartin said.

As proof, Thogmartin discussed Cameron’s recent dual with Bishop LeBlond, a St. Joseph-based private school. Like the Richmond dual, the Dragons were in a deadlock with LeBlond late, he recalled. Essary took her opponent to overtime, …