By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
With playoff hopes hanging in the balance, Molly Edwards kept those dreams alive for the Washington Pam Pack tennis team.
As the scorecard read 3-3 between Washington and West Carteret in a key Coastal Conference match, Edwards and doubles partner Mary Potocki found themselves clinging to a 6-5 lead over Amy Moore and Ivy Summerlin. Following a quick word from coach Diane Cuffie, Edwards and Potocki trotted back to the court.
With the sun beginning to set and all the other courts cleared of its players Thursday evening, Edwards made sure the sun would not set on the Pam Pack tennis season. The lefty used a variety of forehands and backhands to keep the Patriot players off balancing, leading the Pack to a thrilling 8-5 victory.
The win gave Washington a 4-3 match win.
The win gave Washington a 4-6 record and left the team in second place among the 3-A teams in the conference. If West Carteret falls to South Central on the road, the Pam Pack will get the second seed and qualify for the Dual Team tournament.
A couple of youngsters, freshman Beth Batchelor and Hayley Stowe, helped put Washington in the position to win. Both won their singles matches — Stowe winning 7-5, 6-1 over Caroline Henry at No. 5 singles and Batchelor taking a 6-1, 6-2 nod over Anna Powell at No. 6 singles.
The two also combined to win at No. 3 doubles, taking an 8-2 victory.
Washington’s other win came at No. 4 singles where Potocki cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Summerlin.
That helped Washington’s seniors — Edwards, Lauren Allen and Liza Page, walk off the court as winners in their final home match.
For a Pam Pack team that has six new starters this year, Cuffie couldn’t be prouder.
The Pack plays in the Coastal Conference tournament at New Bern on Thursday.
Washington 4, West Carteret 3
Mary Hale (WC) d. Lauren Allen 6-3, 6-2; Emily Carr (WC) d. Liza Page 1-6, 6-2, 10-4; Amy Moore (WC) d. Molly Edwards 6-3, 6-3; Mary Potocki (W) d. Ivy Summerlin 6-0, 6-2; Hayley Stowe (W) d. Caroline Henry 7-5, 6-1; Beth Batchelor (W) d. Anna Powell 6-1, 6-2;
Hale-Carr (WC) d. Allen-Page 8-3; Edwards-Potocki (W) d. Moore-Summerlin 8-5; Stowe-Batchelor (W) d. Henry-Powell 8-2