March 11, 2017
The East Central Community College men’s and women’s tennis teams opened the new Tennis Complex on the Decatur campus in style Friday, March 10, with both teams recording wins over visiting Itawamba Community College.
The ECCC women defeated Itawamba 7-2 to improve to 4-4 on the season. The East Central men won 6-3 to improve their record to 5-3.
It was the first home matches of the season for the East Central teams and the first ever at the new complex, which officially opened in February. Both ECCC teams defeated Itawamba in matches played in Fulton last month.
“The crowd energy was terrific for our first home match,” said ECCC head tennis coach Jay Pacelli. “There was a lot of effort and enthusiasm on both sides.
“The doubles set the tone for the men. On the women’s side, Samantha McCrimon stepped in for an injured Julia Johnston in singles and got a win for us.”
In men’s doubles action against Itawamba, the EC team of Tom Langelaar from Veldhoven, Netherlands, and Joseph Jabour of Warren Central High School defeated David Garcia-Perez/Brendon Jobe, 8-4; EC’s John Jimenez of Oruro, Bolivia, and Will Stewart of Newton County High School defeated Ezra Blissard/Chris Shands, 8-2; and EC’s Brandon Rogers of Winston Academy and Willie Wooten out of Warren Central High School beat Roberto Valadez/Michael Crotts, 8-6.
In singles play, Garcia-Perez defeated EC’s Langelaar, 6-1, 7-5; EC’s Jimenez defeated Jobe, 6-1, 6-4; EC’s Jabour defeated Blissard, 6-4, 3-6 (10-8); Shands beat EC’s Stewart, 6-3, 6-2; Valadez beat EC’s Rogers, 6-2, 6-3; and EC’s Graham Murphree out of Newton County High School beat Russell Applewhite, 6-2, 6-3.
In the women’s doubles matches, ICC’s Jordan Roberts/Bailey Gillentine beat EC’s Tatiana Quinonez of Bogota, Columbia, and Julia Johnston of Florence High School, 8-1; EC’s Chaney Mills of Newton County High School and Andi McCrimon of Winston Academy defeated Karli Garrett/Lizbeth Jiminez, 8-0; and EC’s Samantha McCrimon of Winston Academy and Hannah Payne from Union High School beat Georgia Campbell/Emily Buster, 8-3.
In women’s singles play, Roberts beat EC’s Quinonez, 6-3, 6-2; EC’s Mills beat Gillentine, 6-2, 6-1; EC’s Samantha McCrimon beat Garrett, 6-4, 7-5; EC’s Andi McCrimon defeated Campbell, 6-0, 6-0; EC’s An Duong from Richland High School beat Jiminez, 6-4, 6-3; and EC’s Emily Dykeman of Forest High School defeated Buster, 6-0, 6-2.
Following a spring break trip to Alabama for three matches, the East Central teams return home Wednesday, March 22, to face Meridian Community College at the ECCC Tennis Complex at 2 p.m., followed by Holmes Community College on Friday, March 24, at 2 p.m.
