LEXINGTON — Salisbury freshman Lindsay Hampton had to grow up in a hurry Wednesday. Otherwise, Salisbury’s 11-year streak of conference wins might have gone down the drain at the Bingham Center where the Hornets held off Lexington 6-3. Hampton and senior Michelle Leonard teamed up for the pivotal win at No. 1 doubles, as the Hornets (14-1 overall, 10-0 CCC) escaped with consecutive victory No. 104.

Lexington always gives an inspired effort against the Hornets at home and Wednesday was no exception. With the Lexington boys team whooping it up beside of the No. 1 court, the fired-up Yellow Jacket girls were still alive after singles, trailing 4-2.

Then a Jacket win at No. 2 doubles, spurred by star Catherine Koontz, closed the gap to 4-3, and Salisbury coach Chris Myers was wincing and wiggling.

It got worse.

Hampton and Leonard were deadlocked 6-6 after 12 games. Meanwhile, Salisbury’s No. 3 doubles team of Lane Wallace-Brandy Albracht saw a 5-1 first-set lead chopped to 6-5 after a series of sensational Lexington shots. Myers averted his eyes, pacing like a caged leopard.

Fortunately, Leonard and Hampton hit their stride about that time. Both started whistling winners to eke out a win in the tiebreaker that decided the first set. Then they blew away the Lexington combo of Lin Bunce-Natalie King 6-0 in the second set to secure the match.

“Obviously, we were up against a good team,” said Leonard. “But that just made it sweeter. That’s the most fun I’ve had all year. It was just us and the ball.”

“It was pressure, but it was fun,” said Hampton, who delivered when a match was squarely on her shoulders for the first time. “That first set was all stress and frustration, but that second set — that was just zip.”