Experience pays off for Bears

The strength and experience of the New Bern girls tennis team showed on Tuesday against a young Havelock team.

Just 24 hours after losing their season-opening match to Eastern Wayne, the Bears bounced back with a convincing 9-0 win over the Rams.

"We had a good match," New Bern tennis coach Ed Campbell said. "I think we had a little more experience than they had, and I'm sure they're going to get better in the years to come."

New Bern was led by seniors Kara Clowers and Alex Cella at the top of the lineup. At No. 1 singles, Clowers rolled to an 8-2 victory over Havelock senior Roshelle Pratt, while Cella defeated Havelock sophomore Stephanie Bowman, 8-1, at No. 2 singles.

The two New Bern players later cruised to an 8-1 win over Pratt and Jean Change at No. 1 doubles.

Entering their third year playing doubles together, Cella and Clowers are more than comfortable with combining efforts on the tennis court.

"We know how each other play," Cella said. "Kara is just really good, and she's pretty consistent."

Clowers is also well aware of Cella's strengths, and she is making an effort to learn from them.

"She's good up at the net," Clowers said. "She's good at helping me figure out what to do at the net."

Other seniors in New Bern's lineup include Sam Junak and Courtney Hendricks. At No. 3 singles, Junak picked up an 8-0 win over Chang, while Hendricks defeated Shannon Woodall, 8-2, at No. 5 singles.

At No. 4 singles, New Bern's Lauren Kemp earned an 8-2 victory over Danielle Carl. Rounding out the singles action, Paxton Wood beat Rhonie Elting, 8-0, at No. 6 singles.

In doubles, the New Bern No. 2 team of Junak and Kemp cruised to an 8-0 win over Bowman and Taylor Smith, while the No. 3 team of Hendricks and Wood held off Havelock's Ashley Deschuytner and Jordan Jarrett, 8-4, at No. 3 doubles.

First-year Havelock tennis coach Rob Thomas was pleased with the way his No. 3 doubles team played.

"They played pretty good tonight," Thomas said. "They may be a doubles team that we keep together. That's what I'm trying to find in doubles, personalities that go together good and people that just play well together."

Havelock falls to 0-2 after suffering a season-opening loss to White Oak on Monday. The Rams return to action on Monday at White Oak.

Above all else, Thomas is just hoping to see his players improve throughout the course of the season.

"I want most of the girls to be able to say they're gotten better," he said. "The bulk of the 21 players are sophomores, so if they learn a little bit this year and get a little better next year, maybe by the time they're seniors they'll be pretty good."

New Bern improves to 1-1 with the win and host D.H. Conley on Thursday.