March 1, 2018


ECCC's Julia Johnston (left) and Willie Wooten in action against Hinds at the Tennis Complex Feb. 28. (EC Photo)

The East Central Community College women’s tennis team improved its spring 2018 record to 3-1 with a 5-4 win over the No. 25 ranked Hinds Community College Lady Eagles, while the ECCC men fell short in their quest for the season’s first victory in a 6-3 loss to the No. 24 Hinds men.

The matches were played Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Tennis Complex in Decatur.

“It was a great team victory for our women,” said ECCC head coach Jay Pacelli. “We dug deep against No. 25 Hinds. We were down after the doubles but regrouped for the win.

“It was a tough loss for the men. They are knocking on the door for that first win.”

In the women’s doubles matches, EC’s Gabriela Gomez (Bogota, Colombia) and Tatiana Quinonez (Bogota, Colombia) lost to Stefy Varon-Diaz/Paula Gutierrez, 8-1; EC’s Alexis Tindall of Newton County Academy and Caylee Grace Yarborough of Loyd Star lost to Madison Curtis/Anna Hayden Taylor, 8-6; and EC’s Julia Johnston of Florence and Sara Mazzella of Newton County Academy defeated Jordan Warren/Courtney Buffington, 8-2.

In the women’s singles, EC’s Gomez defeated Varon-Diaz, 6-3, 1-6, 10-8; EC’s Quinonez lost to Gutierrez, 6-1, 3-0 (retired); EC’s Tindall fell to Warren, 4-6, 6-4, 10-6; EC’s Yarborough beat Olivia White, 6-4, 6-1; EC’s Bethany Wellerman out of Newton County Academy beat Taylor, 6-1, 6-3; and EC’s Johnston defeated Curtis, 6-7, 6-2, 11-9.

In the men’s doubles action, EC’s Tom Langelaar (Veldhoven, Netherlands) and Joseph Jabour of Warren Central fell to Carlos Trujillo/Mateo Garcia, 9-7; EC’s Willie Wooten of Warren Central and Landon Gibson of Clarkdale defeated Eric Holmes/Bryce Livingston, 8-2; and EC’s Emontie Lewis of Terry and Jake Wofford of East Webster lost to Drew Rexrode/Aaron Galloway, 9-7.

In the men’s singles, EC’s Langelaar lost to Trujillo, 7-5, 6-2; EC’s Wooten lost to Garcia, 7-6, 6-1; EC’s Jabour lost to Holmes, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8; EC’s Lewis lost to Rexrode, 3-6, 6-0, 10-5; EC’s Gibson beat Livingston, 6-0, 6-2; and EC’s Isaac Keen of Winston Academy beat Galloway, 7-6, 6-4.

Both ECCC teams will host Jones County Junior College at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 3.

Next week, the East Central men and women will host Copiah-Lincoln Community College on March 8 at 2 p.m. and then Itawamba Community College on March 9, also at 2 p.m. The ECCC men will face Gadsden State Community College (Ala.) on Saturday, March 10, at 1 p.m. at the Tennis Complex in Decatur.

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