Spring Creek’s Katelyn Harrison stays focused on the ball during a backhand return against Rosewood’s Georgia Brogden during their No. 6 singles match Monday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Spring Creek’s Kennedy Denton returns a shot against Rosewood’s Sadie Raper at No. 5 singles. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Spring Creek’s Linna Kornegay stretches to return a forehand shot against Rosewood’s Missy Melrose during their No. 4 singles match. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Spring Creek senior Emma Gainey remained unbeaten in eight outings this season with a victory against Rosewood’s Karolina Pittman at No. 3 singles Monday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Spring Creek’s Janice Lopez, one of five seniors in the lineup, returns a shot against Rosewood’s Hadley Tadlock at No. 2 singles Monday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Spring Creek’s Emily Williams follows through on a high backhand return against Rosewood’s Kaylin Mitchell on Monday afternoon. Williams earned her fifth consecutive win of the season. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
SEVEN SPRINGS — The renewal of a highly-competitive county rivalry in girls’ tennis created another memorable — and classic — outcome at “The Swamp” Monday evening.
As twilight loomed on the horizon, Spring Creek’s top-seeded tandem of Emily Williams and Janice Lopez clinched the decisive point in a 5-4, non-conference conquest of Rosewood.
“Today’s match had a great playoff-like atmosphere, two old Carolina 1A rivals slugging it out like old times,” SC head coach Robert Jones said. “It was great for our girls to win a close match. Hopefully it will help our chances to make the 2A dual-team playoffs, something that hasn’t happened here in a long time.”
In their first meeting since 2013, the Gators and Eagles battled toe-to-toe in singles play. Consistent ball movement and solid groundstrokes punctuated each point.
Spring Creek seized a 4-2 edge after singles play concluded.
Top-seeded Emily Williams, third-seeded Emma Gainey, fifth-seeded Kennedy Denton and sixth-seeded Kennedy Harrison each emerged victorious for the Gators.
Gainey and Harrison each remained perfect (8-0) in singles play, while Williams improved to 6-2 after earning her fifth consecutive win.
Haley Tadlock and Missy Melrose accounted for the Eagles’ points in singles.
Rosewood ramped up its intensity in doubles.
Melrose and Karolina Pittman triumphed 8-1 at No. 2. Teammates Sadie Raper and Georgia Brogden squeezed out a 9-8 (4) decision at No. 3.
“A gritty doubles match…pulled out in grand fashion,” RHS head coach Daniel Baynes said of Raper-Brogden.
Williams-Lopez polished off the Gators’ nail-biting win with an 8-5 triumph over Kaylin Mitchell-Haley Tadlock.
“Three very competitive doubles matches,” Baynes said. “I’m so proud of how my girls battled. I wish we had them on the schedule again because I know it would be a rematch in very similar form. I wish them the best of luck in their conference tournament and in the playoffs.”
Spring Creek (6-2 overall) begins a season-ending, three-match road swing Wednesday at East Duplin. The Gators cap their Neuse Six 2A season with a doubleheader Oct. 2 at Goldsboro.
Rosewood (3-5) travels to North Lenoir on Wednesday.
Spring Creek 5, Rosewood 4
Singles: No. 1 — Emily Williams (SC) d. Kaylin Mitchell (RHS), 8-1; No. 2 — Haley Tadlock (RHS) d. Janice Lopez (SC), 8-2; No. 3 — Emma Gainey (SC) d. Karolina Pittman (RHS), 8-4; No. 4 — Missy Melrose (RHS) d. Linna Kornegay (SC), 8-0; No. 5 — Kennedy Denton (SC) d. Sadie Raper (RHS), 8-4; No. 6 — Katelynn Harrison (SC) d. Georgia Brogden (RHS), 8-4.
Doubles: No. 1 — Williams-Lopez (SC) d. Mitchell-Tadlock (RHS), 8-5; No. 2 — Pittman-Melrose (RHS) d. Gainey-Kornegay (SC), 8-1; No. 3 — Raper-Brogden (RHS) d. Denton-Emilia West (SC), 9-8 (4).
