CHARLOTTE — Salisbury coach Chris Myers was pulled away from watching his four seniors on Tuesday and summoned to serve as a line judge at No. 3 singles.
Myers could no longer peek in to see how Tonya Fox was faring, nor could he try to push each of Piper Cline’s forehands across the net with a little touch of body English. Even the passing words of encouragement for Anita Edwards and Andi Steele ceased.
Myers stood with his eyes focused intently on the match in front of him, but his mind was filled with thoughts ranging back to 1998.
Charlotte Catholic swept Salisbury 6-0 in the quarterfinals of the dual-team playoffs yesterday at the Jeff Adams Tennis Center, ending the high school careers of Fox, Edwards, Steele, Cline and Annie Ward.
Those five players were freshmen during Myers’ first year as coach, and he realized on Tuesday afternoon that their terrific run was coming to an end.
“It starting hitting me in the second set,”Myers said. “We came in at the same time and had four great years together. I’ll miss them, this was our best year yet.”
Technically, it wasn’t — the Hornets had advanced to the state semifinals in each of the last three years. But with a team low on experience, Myers’ squad fulfilled lofty expectations even though it was overwhelmed by the familiar Cougars.
Charlotte Catholic’s doubles team of Kate Tans and Natalie Rossi defeated Steele and Edwards at the regionals and eliminated Fox and Kristy Woodson at the states.
The talented Cougars (18-2) got in the final blow by knocking the Hornets (21-3) out of the dual-team playoffs.
“It’s just our luck to get them every single time,”Steele said.
The Hornets arrived in Charlotte and reacquainted themselves with Tans and Rossi, but they also got a first-hand look at the immense talent of singles stars Michelle Alexander and Amanda
Rosinski.
Alexander, who won the 2A state singles championship, defeated Fox 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1.
Rosinski, who also made it to Raleigh, beat Woodson 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2.
The Cougars didn’t drop a set on Tuesday, surrendering only 19 of 91 games.
“I think they’re all evenly matched,”Edwards said. “I don’t think one’s better than the other. All they’re looking to do is get the ball back, they’re looking for you to make the mistake.”
Charlotte Catholic’s strategy proved successful. The Cougars jumped out to quick 3-0 leads at three different courts and never looked back.
Cline put up a good fight at No. 6 singles but fell 6-4, 6-1 to Casey Spiro. Rossi, not your typical No. 5 seed, defeated Steele 6-2, 6-1.
Meg Dlugos topped Edwards 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4, and Tans finished the day with a 6-0, 6-2 win against Allison Somers at No. 3.
“I thought it was a competitive match,” Catholic coach Larry McLaughlin said. “Anytime we beat a team with the reputation of Salisbury, it’s a feather in our cap.”
Said Fox, “It’s sad, but it had to end sometime. We all did well, and I’m happy with our year.”
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Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com
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