East 3-A regional Ñ Aycock's Batts-Sodoma emerge doubles champs

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 22, 2006 2:20 AM

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WILSON -- Charles B. Aycock's top-seeded tandem of Raychel Batts-Lizzie Sodoma emerged the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A eastern regional doubles champions early Saturday afternoon.

Batts-Sodoma (16-1) defeated Rocky Mount's Caroline Gray-Ashley Pearsall 6-4, 6-0 in the finals match. It was Batts' fourth regional title in her prep career after winning three consecutive singles championships from 2003-05.

Sodoma became the second Aycock player to win back-to-back regional titles with a different partner. She teamed with Nicole Taylor to win the regionals a year ago.

"Raychel and Lizzie were phenomenal," said veteran Aycock coach Luke Vail. "They really raised their level of play in the championship match. Lizzie had some outstanding volleys and overheads, and Raychel hit some incredible service returns.

"Raychel and Lizzie played their best set of the year in the second set of the championship match. They both served and returned well. I am very proud of their accomplishment."

The Aycock duo eliminated another Rocky Mount tandem -- Kate Gray-Addie Keeter -- in the semifinal round. Batts-Sodoma opened the regional with a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing of Wilson Fike's Brooke Wortham-Katelyn Suggs on Friday afternoon.

Batts-Sodoma knocked off Eastern Wayne's twosome of Mollie Musgrave-Lindsey Frederick 6-0, 6-3 in quarterfinal-round play. Musgrave-Frederick won the Eastern Carolina Conference doubles title by default over Batts-Sodoma just 10 days ago.

C.B. Aycock's Kara Kelly-Kristen Bennett and Kristen Prosser-Courtney Barnes each endured first-round defeats.

In singles, Southern Wayne's Tara Hirsch dropped a first-round decision to West Carteret's Mary Charles Hale. The Warriors' Lauren Bynum prevailed in the opening round, but endured a 6-0, 6-3 setback against Nash Central's Janna Oxendine in the quarterfinals.

Fike's Farrell Wiggins ousted Eastern Wayne's Casie Musgrave in straight sets in the first round.

Eastern Wayne returns to action at home Tuesday against Southern Alamance in the NCHSAA dual-team playoffs. A match time has not been determined.

C.B. Aycock continues defense of its eastern regional championship at home the same afternoon against Jacksonville.