February 26, 2017

The East Central Community College men’s and women’s tennis teams went on the road Friday, Feb. 24, and played two matches each in the same afternoon and came home with a 3-1 record from the trip.

The Warriors and Lady Warriors both faced Itawamba Community College in Fulton with the East Central women winning 7-2, while the No. 22 ranked men lost a hard fought 5-4 match to the No. 25 Indians. Later that afternoon, the East Central teams faced Northeast Mississippi Community College, also on the courts in Fulton, with the Lady Warriors again winning, this time 9-0, with the East Central men getting back on the winning track with a 9-0 shutout of the Tigers.

The ECCC men are now 4-2 on the season, while the women improved to 3-3 with their third straight match win.

“Our women’s team was focused on victories and would not be denied,” said ECCC head tennis coach Jay Pacelli. “They played with a positive attitude throughout the day. Overall, they are very confident at this time.

“On the men’s side, the loss to Itawamba was heartbreaking. It was a marathon match that came down to a couple of points against a very good ICC team. Our guys were not happy going into the match with Northeast, and they played very well.”

In men’s doubles action against Itawamba, ICC’s David Garcia-Perez/Brendon Jobe beat the EC team of Tom Langelaar from Veldhoven, Netherlands, and Joseph Jabour of Warren Central High School, 8-5; EC’s John Jimenez of Oruro, Bolivia, and Will Stewart of Newton County High School defeated Ezra Blissard/Chris Shands, 8-4; and Roberto Valadez/Russell Applewhite defeated EC’s Brandon Rogers of Winston Academy and Willie Wooten out of Warren Central High School, 8-5.

In singles play, Garcia-Perez defeated EC’s Langelaar, 6-3, 6-4; EC’s Jimenez defeated Jobe, 6-3, 6-3; EC’s Jabour defeated Blissard, 6-2, 6-4; Shands beat EC’s Stewart, 6-3, 6-4; EC’s Rogers beat Valadez, 2-6, 6-4 (11-9); and Applewhite beat EC’s Graham Murphree out of Newton County High School, 3-6, 6-3 (12-10).

In the women’s doubles matches at Itawamba, ICC’s Jordan Roberts/Bailey Gillentine beat EC’s Tatiana Quinonez of Bogota, Columbia, and Julia Johnston of Florence High School, 8-5; EC’s Chaney Mills of Newton County High School and Andi McCrimon of Winston Academy defeated Karli Garrett/Lizbeth Jiminez, 8-2; and EC’s Samantha McCrimon of Winston Academy and Hannah Payne from Union High School beat Georgia Campbell/Charity Tedford, 8-3.

In women’s singles play, Roberts beat EC’s Quinonez, 6-2, 6-1; EC’s Mills beat Gillentine, 6-4, 6-2; EC’s Johnston beat Garrett, 6-2, 6-0; EC’s Andi McCrimon defeated Campbell, 6-1, 6-1; EC’s An Duong from Richland High School beat Jiminez, 6-4, 6-2; and EC’s Emily Dykeman of Forest High School defeated Tedford, 6-1, 5-7 (10-7).

In men’s doubles action against Northeast, the EC team of Langelaar/Jabour beat Alan Riveria/Andrew Price, 8-1; EC’s Jimenez/Stewart defeated Tomas Tucker/Jacob Price, 8-0; and EC’s Rogers/Wooten beat Corey Lindsey/Chandler Walden, 8-1.

In singles play, EC’s Langelaar defeated Riveria, 6-0, 6-0; EC’s Jimenez defeated Walden, 6-1, 6-0; EC’s Jabour defeated Jacob Price, 6-1, 6-2; EC’s Stewart defeated Tucker, 6-4, 6-0; EC’s Emontie Lewis out of Terry High School beat Lindsey, 6-2, 6-2; and EC’s Murphree beat Jacob Jeffrys, 6-0, 6-0.

In the women’s doubles matches against Northeast, EC’s Quinonez/Johnston beat Abbey Hollowel/Meredith Murphy, 8-2; EC’s Mills/Andi McCrimon defeated Maegan Trexler/Kristina Taylor, 8-0; and EC’s Samantha McCrimon/Payne beat Sara Talley/Amber Norris, 8-4.

In women’s singles play, EC’s Quinonez beat Trexler, 6-0, 6-0; EC’s Mills beat Hollowel, 6-1, 6-0; EC’s Johnston beat Murphy, 6-1, 6-3; EC’s Andi McCrimon defeated Taylor, 6-1, 6-1; EC’s Duong beat Norris, 6-2, 6-0; and EC’s Dykeman defeated Talley, 6-1, 6-0.

The East Central men’s and women’s teams travel to Perkinston Friday, March 3, to face Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College at 2 p.m. The Gulf Coast women are ranked No. 20 nationally and the men are No. 18.

Category: