Perennial power Union Pines eliminates C.B. Aycock

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 17, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Union Pines swept the doubles and completed a 7-0, rain-suspended victory over Charles B. Aycock in opening-round action of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A dual-team girls' tennis playoffs Thursday afternoon.

Union Pines faces Hunt in the second round.

Aycock concluded the year 16-2 overall.

"Today's match was a tough one," CBA head coach Summer Pennington said. "Union Pines has a very solid team and played extremely well. I am still very proud of my team and the amazing season that we have had.

"The (final) score doesn't seem to reflect how we played on most of the courts. It seemed like almost every game was resulting in deuce points, but we just could not convert them to games."

The Vikings, runners-up from the Cape Fear Valley Conference, secured a 4-0 advantage in singles when heavy rains rendered conditions unplayable on Tuesday. Two singles matches remained in progress, but were not completed when play resumed Thursday.

Aycock senior Ashton Walker was one point away from securing the Golden Falcons' lone point of their season-ending match. She led Mary Beth Jackson 6-2, 5-2.

"Today's match was extremely bittersweet as it was Ashton's last team match of her career," Pennington said. "I cannot express how much I have enjoyed coaching her over the last couple of years, and how proud I am of her -- not only as a player -- but as a young woman.

"Her presence on the team will be greatly missed, but I cannot wait to see what the future holds for her after high school."

Walker and Aycock's doubles of Casie Belom-Cassidy Coerver return to action today in the NCHSAA 3-A eastern regionals at Barton College in Wilson. They'll be joined by Eastern Wayne's tandem of Elizabeth Sutton-Brennan Dove and Southern Wayne junior Hope Jones.

The top four placers in singles and doubles advance to the state tournament in Burlington.