Prep tennis

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on September 17, 2004 1:55 PM

• Print
• Email

Rosewood sweeps double, knocks off North Lenoir

SNOW HILL -- Rosewood literally doubled-up North Lenoir in a Classes 1-A/2-A Carolina/Eastern Plains Conference match Thursday on the Snow Hill Tennis Complex courts.

The Eagles swept the doubles en route to a 6-3 victory.

The top-seeded tandem of Kayce Brantham-Sidney Worrell stopped the Hawks' Morgan Worthington-Ruthanne Hardy 8-5. Teammates Leah Smith-Kourtney Humphrey and Missy Bailey-Erica Nichols each claimed an 8-4 win.

Brantham, Smith and Worrell each triumphed in singles.

Hardy rallied to defeat Humphrey 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 at the No. 4 singles spot. Teammates Rachel Sasser and Heather Phillips each claimed a straight-set singles victory.

"The girls all played really hard today," first-year Hawks coach Courtney Harrell said. "Ruthanne played the best I've seen her all year and gave us an important win before doubles. It was a tough match and we just weren't able to gain the lead in doubles.

"It was a tough loss, but we'll be back fighting next week."

North Lenoir (6-7, 5-5 C/EPC) entertains Wilson Beddingfield next Monday afternoon.

Rosewood 6, North Lenoir 3

Singles -- No. 1 Kayce Brantham (R) d. Morgan Worthington 6-2, 6-2; No. 2 Leah Smith (R) d. Mary-Linton Smith 6-2, 6-2; No. 3 Sidney Worrell (R) d. Debbie Vandiford 6-3, 6-2; No. 4 Ruthanne Hardy (NL) vs. Kourtney Humphrey 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; No. 5 Rachel Sasser (NL) d. Missy Bailey 6-2, 6-4; No. 6 Heather Phillips (NL) d. Erica Nichols 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles -- No. 1 Brantham-Worrell (R) d. Worthington-Hardy 8-5; No. 2 Smith-Humphrey (R) d. Smith-Sasser 8-4; No. 3 Bailey-Nichols (R) d. Madison Gray-Ashley Fillipeli 8-4.

Warriors stumble

in ECC 3-A play

MOREHEAD CITY -- Eastern Wayne prevailed at the bottom three singles slots, but couldn't keep the momentum going in doubles Thursday afternoon at the Atlantic Beach Racquet Club.

West Carteret swept the doubles and survived the Warriors' upset bid 6-3 in their Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference match.

Lauren Bynum, Tricia Chatman and Morgan Pritchett each took a straight-set win in singles for the visitors. Bynum shut out Hillary Vallance at the No. 4 spot, while Chatman dropped just two games at No. 5.

Pritchett out-dueled Joanna Dodge 6-4, 6-3 at No. 6.

Eastern Wayne nearly won at No. 3 doubles where Chatman-Pritchett endured a tough 9-8 (3) loss to Dodge-Katie Bell. The Patriots cruised in the other two matches and remained one game behind front-runner Charles B. Aycock for the ECC title.

West Carteret 6, Eastern Wayne 3

Singles -- No. 1 Corrine Langston (WC) d. Anna Weeks 6-0, 6-1; No. 2 Courtney Whisler (WC) d. Brandi Butts 6-0, 6-2; No. 3 Maren Boelling (WC) d. Ashley Smth 6-2, 6-0; No. 4 Lauren Bynum (EW) d. Hillary Vallance 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Tricia Chatman (EW) d. Kelly Register 6-2, 6-0; No. 6 Morgan Pritchett (EW) d. Joanna Dodge 6-4, 6-3.

Doubles -- No. 1 Langston-Whisler (WC) d. Weeks-Butts 8-2; No. 2 Boelling-Register (WC) d. Smith-Bynum 8-4; No. 3 Dodge-Katie Bell (WC) d. Chatman-Pritchett 9-8 (3).

Greene Central

takes two wins

SNOW HILL -- Greene Central remained unbeaten in Carolina/Eastern Plains 1-A/2-A Conference play with identical 9-0 victories against SouthWest Edgecombe and Tarboro High on Thursday afternoon.

The Rams remained unbeaten in 11 conference outings and climbed to 14-1 overall.

"I was extremely pleased with the team's play tonight," said Rams coach Donald Clark of the match against Tarboro. "We played with a lot of energy and enthusiasm despite this being our second match of the day.

"Summer (Chase) hit the ball with a lot of confidence for us today. She moved the ball well corner to corner, and stayed in control throughout the match."

Chase (13-2) defeated the Vikings' Allison Thompson 6-1, 6-1 and stopped the Cougars' Nikki Taylor 6-1, 6-0. It was just Taylor's second loss of the season in 10 matches.

Clark said the No. 1 doubles of Meredith Rouse-Sarah Moore dominated their opponents. Moore played sharp on overhead shots, while Rouse served and volleyed well.

"They are beginning to play like the kind of team I know they can be," Clark said.

Rouse-Moore dropped Tarboro's Robin Ellis-Minta Dupree 8-1 and shut out SouthWest's top-seeded tandem of Taylor-Brittany Laws 8-0.

Greene Central continues play at home Monday against traditional independent schools power Greenfield. The match begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Snow Hill Tennis Complex courts.

Greene Central 9,

SouthWest Edgecombe 0

Singles -- No. 1 Meredith Rouse (GC) d. Brittany Laws 6-0, 6-0; No. 2 Sarah Moore (GC) d. Meghan Rhodes 6-0, 6-1; No. 3 Summer Chase (GC) d. Nikki Taylor 6-1, 6-0; No. 4 Holly Mace (GC) d. Erin Perry 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Ashley Harrell (GC) d. Megan Brown 6-0, 6-0; No. 6 Christi Murphy (GC) by default.

Doubles -- No. 1 Rouse-Moore (GC) d. Laws-Taylor 8-0; No. 2 Murphy-Harrell (GC) d. Rhodes-Perry 8-0; No. 3 Chase-Carolyn Turk (GC) by default.

Greene Central 9, Tarboro 0

Singles -- No. 1 Meredith Rouse (GC) d. Robin Ellis 6-1, 6-1; No. 2 Sarah Moore (GC) d. Minta Dupree 6-0, 6-2; No. 3 Summer Chase (GC) d. Allison Thompson 6-1, 6-1; No. 4 Holly Mace (GC) d. Miranda Spain 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Ashley Harrell (GC) d. Emily Spain 6-0, 6-1; No. 6 Christi Murphy (GC) d. Jasmine Burroughs 6-3, 6-3.

Doubles -- No. 1 Rouse-Moore (GC) d. Ellis-Dupree 8-1; No. 2 Harrell-Carolyn Turk (GC) d. M. Spain-Burroughs 8-2; No. 3 Brittany Horton-Michelle Jernigan (GC) d. Thompson-Satterthwaite 8-2.