Union Pines edges Terry Sanford for 3A East girls tennis title

The two teams had seen each other often this year. Often enough to care for the other, even when the stakes were at their highest. The ramifications of N.C. High School Athletic Association’s 3A East girls tennis final on Thursday, sending Union Pines to the state championship with a 5-4 victory against visiting Fayetteville Terry Sanford, became secondary to the sportsmanship.

The scene left in everyone’s minds as they walked away from the courts was both coaches addressing the opposing teams and both teams embracing in lieu of a trophy presentation. Terry Sanford coach Mark Ratledge told Union Pines he would be rooting for them. Union Pines coach John Frye, an NCHSAA hall of famer, built back up the heartbroken Bulldogs (12-2) players.

“We admire you. We wish you the best,” Frye said, telling the Terry Sanford players they had “an artist’s touch” to their play. “We consider it an honor to compete with you.”

The Vikings (15-1) are heading back to the 3A dual-team girls tennis championships for the first time since 2009 after edging their Cape Fear Valley Conference foe. Union Pines had split the regular-season series with the Bulldogs (12-2), earning a co-conference championship. The teams’ only losses this year are to each other.

Union Pines and Terry Sanford were tied 3-all after singles. Four of them went to a third-set tiebreaker with Union Pines taking three on wins by No. 1 singles player Mary Beth Jackson (6-2, 4-6, 11-9), No. 3 Julianne Hall (6-2, 4-6, 10-5) and No. 5 Sarah Nicholson (6-1, 5-7, 10-8).

Hailee Haymore fell 6-2, 4-6, 11-9 at No. 2, Megan Smith 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5 and Meagan Pusser 6-1, 6-4 at No. 6.

Going into doubles, Frye said he was worried the most, perhaps surprisingly, about his state champion doubles team of Jackson and Haymore. They had faced the same Terry Sanford duo six times – including the conference, regional and state titles. The likelihood of going 6-0 against the same great players was uncertain.

“After awhile it becomes a game of numbers. At some point, you’re bound to lose,” Frye said. “Deep down, I (thought) our skill set was adequate to win the match, but sometimes you don’t know how the ball is going to bounce.”

The Vikings lost No. 3 doubles 10-4 to make it 4-all. But a 10-6 win by Haymore and Jackson, followed by a 10-4 win at No. 2 doubles by Hall and Megan Smith, clinched the match.

“I knew I could easily get nervous, but I had to force myself to take it point-by-point,” Jackson said. “Every match (against the Terry Sanford doubles team) has been tough.”

Union Pines’ opponent in Sunday’s championships at Elon University (1 p.m.) – a change from an title match originally scheduled for Saturday at the Burlington Tennis Center – will be either Weddington or Marvin Ridge. Those two play Friday.

This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 1:01 AM with the headline "Union Pines edges Terry Sanford for 3A East girls tennis title."