April 7, 2019


The sophomore players on East Central Community College’s 2019 men’s and women’s tennis teams were honored prior to their final home match April 6 against Itawamba. Those recognized and their high schools were (from left) Will Ladner, Stone County; Isaac Keen, Winston Academy; Jake Wofford, East Webster; Bethany Wellerman, Newton County Academy; Alexis Tindall, Newton County Academy; Madison Crapps, Pisgah; Gabriela Gomez, Bogota, Colombia; and head tennis coach Jay Pacelli. (EC Photo)

The East Central Community College tennis teams both picked up wins over visiting Itawamba on Sophomore Day at the ECCC Tennis Complex in Decatur Saturday, April 6.

The East Central Warriors got a gutsy 5-4 win over No. 25 ranked Itawamba while playing without their No. 1 player, while the No. 25 ranked East Central Lady Warriors won 7-2 over the Lady Indians.

It was Sophomore Day as three ECCC Warriors and four Lady Warriors were honored prior to the matches.

The East Central women are now 12-7 on the season, while the ECCC men are 10-9.

Chris Lawrance (York, Western, Australia) sat out the men’s matches while nursing an injury.

“It was a great victory for the men,” said ECCC head tennis coach Jay Pacelli. “We had to circle the wagons with Chris out due to injury. It was an amazing effort by Dominick Donaldson filling in at No. 1 doubles with Isaac Santitto.

“The women came to play today as well, particularly in doubles. The doubles decided the match with the early sweep. It was a good regular season for the women.”

Men’s Doubles Results:
EC’s Isaac Santitto (Innisfail, Queensland, Australia) and Dominick Donaldson (Florence) defeated ICC’s Franco Roldan and Blake Gregory, 9-7; ICC’s Reese Duncan and Sergio Garcia-Uruena defeated EC’s Dylan Barnett (Newton County) and Peyton Chaney (Newton County), 8-3; and ICC’s Hayden Embry and Zak Keith defeated EC’s Will Ladner (Stone County) and Jake Wofford (East Webster), 8-6.

Men’s Singles Results:
Roldan defeated EC’s Ladner, 6-0, 6-0; EC’s Santitto defeated Garcia-Uruena, 3-6, 6-2 (10-1); EC’s Barnett defeated Duncan, 6-3, 6-3; EC’s Isaac Keen (Winston Academy) defeated Keith, 6-1, 6-2; Embry defeated EC’s Wofford, 6-2, 6-2; and EC’s Chaney defeated ICC’s Brody Clayton, 3-6, 6-3 (10-8).

Women’s Doubles Results:
EC’s Josie Hurst (Newton County) and Ali Grace Walker (Newton County) defeated ICC’s Maggie Creekmore and Julianna Alves, 8-3; EC’s Gabriela Gomez (Bogota, Colombia) and Kayla Baucum (Newton County) defeated ICC’s Riley Crouch and Farrah Fowlkes, 8-3; and EC’s Alexis Tindall (Newton County Academy) and Bethany Wellerman (Newton County Academy) defeated ICC’s Caroline Ferguson and Claire Ferguson, 8-6.

Women’s Singles Results:
Alves defeated EC’s Gomez, 7-5, 6-4; EC’s Walker defeated Creekmore, 6-0, 2-6, (10-9); EC’s Hurst defeated Claire Ferguson, 6-4, 6-3; EC’s Tindall defeated Caroline Ferguson by default; EC’s Wellerman defeated Fowlkes, 6-3, 6-3; and Crouch defeated EC’s Baucum, 7-6, 6-7 (10-7).

The East Central teams will next compete in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges State/National Junior College Athletic Association Region 23 tournaments April 10-13 in Tupelo.

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