East Central Community College recognized six sophomore players for their contributions to the Warrior and Lady Warrior tennis programs prior to matches against the nationally ranked teams from Meridian Community College.
Recognized were Julia Johnston, who prepped at Florence High School, and Tatiana Quinonez of Bogota, Colombia, from the Lady Warriors and Joseph Jabour and Willie Wooten from Warren Central High School in Vicksburg, Emontie Lewis of Terry High School, and Tom Langelaar from Veldhoven, Netherlands.
In the matches that followed, the No. 23 ranked Meridian women's team defeated the Lady Warriors 8-1 and the No. 10 Meridian men defeated the Warriors 8-1.
In the women's doubles matches, Meridian's Julia McCarty/Amanda Lowery beat EC's Gabriela Gomez (Bogota, Colombia) and Quinonez, 8-3; Rachel Sollie/Kennedy Rodriguez defeated EC's Alexis Tindall of Newton County Academy and Caylee Grace Yarborough of Loyd Star, 8-4; and Katherine Mitchell/Kelsea Baksh beat EC's Johnston and Sara Mazzella of Newton County Academy, 8-3.
In the women's singles, McCarty beat EC's Gomez, 6-1, 6-2; Rodriguez defeated EC's Quinonez, 6-2, 4-6 (10-7); Sollie beat EC's Tindall, 7-6, 6-2; Lowery defeated EC's Yarborough, 6-1, 6-2; EC's Bethany Wellerman of Newton County Academy beat Mitchell, 6-0, 7-5; and Baksh beat EC's Johnston, 6-3, 6-1.
In the men's doubles action, EC's Langelaar/Jabour beat Meridian's Will Swindoll/Lachlan Ivulich, 8-5; Meridian's Marco Puric/Callan Shinall beat EC's Wooten and Landon Gibson of Clarkdale, 8-3; and Max Mauney/Ethan Clopton defeated EC's Jake Wofford of East Webster and Lewis, 8-0.
In the men's singles, Puric beat EC's Langelaar, 6-2, 6-1; Ivulich beat EC's Jabour, 6-3, 6-0; Meridian's Zachery Presnall defeated EC's Wooten, 3-6, 6-2 (10-6); Shinall beat EC's Lewis, 6-1, 6-0; Mauney defeated EC's Gibson, 6-1, 6-3; and Swindoll beat EC's Isaac Keen of Winston Academy, 6-1, 6-2.
"It was a good, spirited effort by our women," said ECCC head coach Jay Pacelli. "Tatiana (Quinonez) stepped up her game and performed well in defeat, while Bethany (Wellerman) continues her stellar play.
"The effort also was very good for our men against the defending state champions. Tom (Langelaar) and Joseph (Jabour) registered a great match victory in doubles against one of the top teams in the state."
The ECCC teams will visit Jones County Junior College in Ellisville on Thursday, April 5, for matches at 2 p.m. before facing Marion Military Institute at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, in Marion, Ala.
The Jones County women are ranked No. 15 nationally while the men are No. 25. The Marion Military men are ranked No. 11 in the nation by ITA.
ECCC sophomore men's tennis players honored by head coach Jay Pacelli (far left) prior to the tennis match with Meridian were (from left) Tom Langelaar, Veldhoven, Netherlands; Joseph Jabour, Vicksburg; Emontie Lewis, Byram; and Willie Wooten, Vicksburg. (EC Photo).