Prep tennis

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 24, 2004 1:55 PM

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Rosewood's doubles strength pulls out win over Cougars

PINETOPS -- Rosewood prevailed in two of three doubles matches and nipped SouthWest Edgecombe 5-4 in a Classes 1-A/2-A Carolina/Eastern Plains Conference match Thursday.

The tandems of Leah Smith-Kourtney Humphrey and Missy Bailey-Erica Nichols helped the Eagles pick up their eighth victory in C/EPC competition this season.

Humphrey, Bailey and top-seeded Kayce Brantham each triumphed in singles.

Rosewood (9-5) travels to Greene Central next Tuesday.

Rosewood 5, SW Edgecombe 4

Singles -- No. 1 Kayce Brantham (R) d. Brittany Laws 6-2, 6-1; No. 2 Meghan Rhodes (SWE) d. Leah Smith 6-3, 6-2; No. 3 Nikki Taylor (SWE) d. Sidney Worrell 6-3, 6-3; No. 4 Kourtney Humphrey (R) d. Erin Perry 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Missy Bailey (R) d. Johanna Alvarez 6-0, 6-2; No. 6 Meghan Brown (SWE) d. Erica Nichols 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles -- No. 1 Taylor-Rhodes (SWE) d. Brantham-Worrell 8-4; No. 2 Smith-Humphrey (R) d. Laws-Perry 8-2; No. 3 Bailey-Nichols (R) d. Alvarez-Brown 8-1.

South Central

nips Goldsboro

South Central captured its first-ever victory in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play with a 5-4 victory against Goldsboro High on the Herman Park courts.

The Cougars received singles wins from top-seeded Jessica Faison, second-seeded Quionna Bryant and fifth-seeded Sonji King. Bryant-Faison conquered the Falcons' Smith-Lee 8-6 at the No. 1 doubles slot.

However, Goldsboro had to forfeit the No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles matches. The two losses allowed South Central to win the match.

South Central 5, Goldsboro 4

Singles -- No. 1 Jessica Faison (G) d. Lauren Lee 6-0, 6-3; No. 2 Quionna Bryant (G) d. Jolisia Smith 6-1, 6-0; No. 3 Ashley Summers (SC) d. Nickie Garner 6-4, 6-3; No. 4 Ayana Ishido (SC) d. Honesty Floyd 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Sonji King (G) d. Tiffany Wood 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles -- No. 1 Bryant-Faison (G) d. Smith-Lee 8-6; No. 2 Danyel Sutton-Lizzie Blayney (SC) d. Garner-King 8-0.

Note: No. 6 singles and No. 3 forfeited to S. Central.

North Lenoir

edges Spring Creek

SEVEN SPRINGS -- North Lenoir picked up two huge doubles victories and knocked off Spring Creek 5-4 in Carolina/Eastern Plains Conference action Thursday afternoon.

The top-seeded doubles of Morgan Worthington-Mary-Linton Smith dealt the Gators' Stacy Smith-Cynthia Breault an 8-6 loss. Ruthanne Hardy-Rachel Sasser, the Hawks' second seed, dismissed Sarah Warren-Melanie Harlow 8-5.

The teams were tied at 3-3 after singles play.

Worthington edged Smith 6-1, 4-6, 10-6 at No. 1 singles. Debbie Vandiford needed a first-tiebreaker to beat Melanie Harlow, while Hardy swept Sarah Bragg 6-4, 6-1.

Warren, Breault and Kelly Murphy each grabbed a singles win for the Gators. Murphy nipped Sasser 6-4, 3-6, 10-8.

Bragg-Murphy won at No. 3 doubles for the Gators.

"It was an extremely tight match today and the scores prove it," first-year Hawks coach Courtney Harrell said. "Morgan had a particularly strong day, winning a close singles match and teamming with Mary-Linton to get a big win in doubles.

"I told the girls before the match that win or lose, this match was about pride. This was our biggest win of the season."

North Lenoir (9-8, 8-5) travels to Ayden-Grifton next Tuesday, while Spring Creek goes to Tarboro the same afternoon.

North Lenoir 5, Spring Creek 4

Singles -- No. 1 Morgan Worthington (NL) d. Stacy Smith 6-1, 4-6, 10-6; No. 2 Sarah Warren (SC) d. Mary-Linton Smith 6-1, 6-1; No. 3 Debbie Vandiford (NL) d. Melanie Harlow 7-6 (5), 6-1; No. 4 Ruthanne Hardy (NL) d. Sarah Bragg 6-4, 6-1; No. 5 Kelly Murphy (SC) d. Rachel Sasser 6-4, 3-6, 10-8; No. 6 Cynthia Breault (SC) d. Heather Phillips 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles -- No. 1 Worthington-Smith (NL) d. Smith-Breault 8-6; No. 2 Hardy-Sasser (NL) d. Warren-Harlow 8-5; No. 3 Bragg-Murphy (SC) d. Ashley Fillipeli-Madison Gray 8-5.

James Kenan

buries Bulldogs

WARSAW -- James Kenan swept the singles matches in pro-set style (eight-game sets) and dismantled Dixon 8-1 in a non-conference encounter Thursday afternoon.

Christa Jones, Allison Fonvielle, Erica Brown, Beth Parrish, Brittany Crabtree and Meagan Sanderlin each won a singles match.

Fonvielle-Brown and Jones-Chestnutt each triumphed in doubles.

"My biggest concern is that we haven't been in pressure situations since our early matchups with East Duplin," Tigers coach Chip Hardy said. "I'm afraid that when the playoffs come, we will not be able to handle those close matches.

"We should have a good one next Monday against Harrells Academy, if the weather holds out."

James Kenan improved to 5-2.

James Kenan 8, Dixon 1

Singles -- No. 1 Christa Jones (JK) d. Ashley Harris 8-1; No. 2 Allison Fonvielle (JK) d. Laura Haley 8-2; No. 3 Erica Brown (JK) d. Haley Robinson 8-4; No. 4 Beth Parrish (JK) d. Sarah Mock 8-0; No. 5 Brittany Crabtree (JK) d. Amanda Higuet 8-4; No. 6 Meagan Sanderlin (JK) d. Beth Haley 8-0.

Doubles -- No. 1 Fonvielle-Brown (JK) d. Harris-Robinson 8-0; No. 2 Jones-Chestnutt (JK) d. Eden-Rogers 8-5; No. 3 Haley-Higuet (D) d. Bass-Smith 8-1.

Greene Central

trounces Jaguars

FARMVILLE -- Greene Central played flawless in a 9-0 victory against Farmville Central in Carolina/Eastern Plains 1-A/2-A action Thursday afternoon.

The Rams shut out every opponent in singles and doubles play en route to their 16th victory against two losses this season. They remained unbeaten in 12 C/EPC outings heading into next Tuesday's home match against Rosewood.

"We played almost flawless tennis today in singles," Rams coach Donald Clark said. "The girls were tired after the long ride to East Chapel Hill on Wednesday and that emotionally grueling match, but they came out with some spring in their legs and got the job done.

"Michelle Jernigan did a great job for us at number three doubles. She got to the net and consistently made her volleys."

Jernigan and Christi Murphy dumped the Jaguars' Megan Benson-Rebecca Gade 8-0.

Murphy, Meredith Rouse, Sarah Moore, Summer Chase, Holly Mace and Ashley Harrell each grabbed a singles win. Murphy and Harrell continue to lead the team with 17 singles victories apiece, while Mace has 16. Chase is 15-3, while Moore and Rouse have each posted 14 singles wins this season.

Greene Central 9,

Farmville Central 0

Singles -- No. 1 Meredith Rouse (GC) d. Justine Williford 6-0, 6-0; No. 2 Sarah Moore (GC) d. Adriane Joyner 6-0, 6-0; No. 3 Summer Chase (GC) d. Nicole Williford 6-0, 6-0; No. 4 Holly Mace (GC) d. Megan Benson 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Christi Murphy (GC) d. Rebecca Gade 6-0, 6-0; No. 6 Ashley Harrell (GC) d. Ashley Norville 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles -- No. 1 Rouse-Moore (GC) d. J. Williford-Robin Moore 8-0; No. 2 Harrell-Carolyn Turk (GC) d. Joyner-N. Williford 8-0; No. 3 Murphy-Michelle Jernigan (GC) d. Benson-Gade 8-0.

Wayne Christian

grabs CCC 1-A win

Jennica Botonis remained unbeaten in seven singles matches and Wayne Christian seized two key doubles victories in a 5-4 conquest of Trinity Christian of Raleigh on Thursday.

The Eagles (5-2) climbed to 3-2 overall in Carolina Christian 1-A Conference play.

Botonis, the top seed, lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 decision against Corinne Porowski. Teammates Bianca Wall and Mary West, the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds, respectively, also prevailed in singles.

Wall-West and Catie Fairchild-Stacie McCary each won critical 8-3 matches in doubles to secure the overall win.

Wayne Christian 5,

Trinity-Raleigh 4

Singles -- No. 1 Jennica Botonis (WC) d. Corinne Porowski 6-1, 6-0; No. 2 Bianca Wall (WC) d. Alyssa Wiley 1-6, 7-5, 10-6; No. 3 Mary West (WC) d. Mary Ashleigh Craven 6-2, 6-2; No. 4 Danna Bradley (T) d. Catie Fairchild 0-6, 6-2, 10-8; No. 5 Jennie Pollard (T) d. Stacie McCary 6-0, 6-0; No. 6 Rachael Woodard (T) d. Jenny Gallagher 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles -- No. 1 Porowski-Wiley (T) d. Botonis-Gallagher 8-0; No. 2 Wall-West (WC) d. Craven-Bradley 8-3; No. 3 Fairchild-McCary (WC) d. Pollard-Allison 8-3.

Warriors drop

match to Bears

Tricia Chatman and Ashley Smith each claimed a singles win as Eastern Wayne dropped a 6-3 non-conference decision against New Bern on Wednesday afternoon.

Chatman edged Nicole Clowers 6-2, 3-6, 7-2 at No. 3 singles. Smith, the fifth seed, swept Lindsey Clifton 6-4, 6-1. Smith and Morgan Pritchett also picked up an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles.

New Bern 6, Eastern Wayne 3

Singles -- No. 1 Ellen Bell (NB) d. Anna Weeks 6-2, 6-0; No. 2 Gentry Lassiter (NB) d. Lauren Bynum 6-1, 6-0; No. 3 Tricia Chatman (EW) d. Nicole Clowers 6-2, 3-6, 7-2; No. 4 Emily Rossi (NB) d. Brandi Butts 6-2, 6-3; No. 5 Ashley Smith (EW) d. Lindsey Clifton 6-4, 6-1; No. 6 Sarah Debolt (NB) d. Morgan Pritchett 7-5, 1-6, 7-2.

Doubles -- No. 1 Bell-Lassiter (NB) d. Weeks-Butts 8-5; No. 2 Clowers-Rossi (NB) d. Bynum-Chatman 8-6; No. 3 Smith-Pritchett (EW) d. Clifton-Debolt 8-3.

JV

Golden Falcons

joust Knights

WILSON -- Charles B. Aycock collected its ninth win of the season with a 7-2, non-conference decision against Greenfield School on Thursday afternoon.

Katie Perry, Kristen Prosser, Kristen Bennett and Mallory Strickland each grabbed a singles win. Perry-Prosser, Lizzie Sodoma-Emilee Quinn and Mallory Peacock-Kara Kelly led the Golden Falcons to a sweep in doubles.

C.B. Aycock (9-3) entertains Wayne Christian at 4 p.m. Monday.

C.B. Aycock 7, Greenfield 2

Singles -- No. 1 Elizabeth Cobb (G) d. Lizzie Sodoma 8-0; No. 2 Katie Perry (CBA) d. Betsy Bethune 8-1; No. 3 Kristen Prosser (CBA) d. Suzy Hackney 8-0; No. 4 Anna Perry (G) d. Emilee Quinn 8-6; No. 5 Kristen Bennett (CBA) d. Annie Nowell 8-0; No. 6 Mallory Strickland (CBA) d. Katy Puranai 8-1.

Doubles -- No. 1 Perry-Prosser (CBA) d. Cobb-Bethune 9-8 (3); No. 2 Sodoma-Quinn (CBA) d. Hackney-Perry 8-2; No. 3 Mallory Peacock-Kara Kelly (CBA) d. Nowell-Puranai 8-1.

Chargers cruise

past So. Wayne

MOUNT OLIVE -- Wayne Country Day won five of six singles matches and swept the doubles in an 8-1 victory against Southern Wayne at the John Neal Walker Tennis Complex on the Mount Olive College campus.

Sara Moore, Chris Haper, Christin Grubb, Virginia Mayo and Georgia Crow each earned a singles win for the Chargers.

Brooke Dove claimed the Saints' lone singles win.

Wayne Country Day 8,

Southern Wayne 1

Singles -- No. 1 Sara Moore (WCD) d. Scarlet Price 8-0; No. 2 Chris Haper (WCD) d. Shanita Hobbs 8-0; No. 3 Christin Grubb (WCD) d. Emily Martin 8-0; No. 4 Virginia Mayo (WCD) d. Ashley Fizzell 8-0; No. 5 Georgia Crow (WCD) d. Kristen Graziano 8-0; No. 6 Brooke Dove (SW) d. Katie Hampton 8-0.

Doubles -- No. 1 Crow-Grubb (WCD) d. Hobbs-Martin 8-1; No. 2 Haper-Mayo (WCD) d. Price-Lindsey Smith 8-0; No. 3 Moore-Hampton (WCD) d. Heather Price-Lindsey Smith 8-4.