Hill-Havard win big match at NJCAA Tourney

No. 14 Mississippi Gulf Coast got Tuesday morning at the NJCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship off to a good start by picking up another championship bracket win.

In the completion of a rain-delayed No. 3 doubles match, Triston Hill (Fr., Perkinston/Stone) and Hiram Havard (Fr., Vancleave/Vancleave) beat Prairie State's Nick Scroppo and Sachin Vavaraja 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

"Overall, we competed and played really well," Bulldogs coach Sam Blackburn said. "Triston and Hiram did a fantastic job of finishing it out. Kyle (Bond) and Orren (Ladner) lost a tough match, but I told them that was one of the best matches they played this year."

Bond and Ladner lost in No. 2 doubles to Harford's Antonin Leborne and Pablo Poleo. The match was suspended in the third set Monday and finished 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4.

Paul Gayk (So., Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany/Berufskolleg Lehnerstrasse) and Anderson Dulaney (So., Long Beach/Long Beach) lost their second-round match in the No. 1 doubles championship bracket to Jones' tandem.

Gayk bounced back in the afternoon to beat Lewis & Clark's Juan Cachaza 8-5.

"I'm hoping he can play well and stay focused," Blackburn said. "I think he will and get us a few more points."

Havard remains alive in the No. 2 singles consolation bracket, with Bond and Ladner also scheduled to play in No. 2 doubles on Wednesday.

NJCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship

The Courts

McKinney, Texas

May 15-19

Tuesday Results

Championship Bracket Doubles Round 1

No. 2: Antonin Leborne-Pablo Poleo (Harford) def. Kyle Bond-Orren Ladner (Gulf Coast), 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4

No. 3: Triston Hill-Hiram Havard (Gulf Coast) def. Nick Scroppo-Sachin Vavaraja (Prairie State), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1

Championship Bracket Singles Round 2

No. 3: No. 2 Tim Riedel (Tyler) def. Anderson Dulaney (Gulf Coast), 6-1, 6-1

No. 4: No. 6 Andrew Kunaka (Iowa Central) def. Kyle Bond (Gulf Coast), 6-1, 6-0

No. 5: No. 6 Zamani Moyo (Iowa Central) def. Orren Ladner (Gulf Coast), 6-0, 6-2

No. 6: No. 3 Colin Tavares (Eastern Florida State) def. Triston Hill (Gulf Coast), 6-0, 6-1

Championship Bracket Doubles Round 2

No. 1: No. 6 Wallace Brewer-Tomas Nader (Jones) def. Paul Gayk-Anderson Dulaney (Gulf Coast), 0-6, 6-2, 6-2

No. 3: No. 3 Eavan Attie-Eric Tripathi (Eastern Florida State) def. Triston Hill-Hiram Havard (Gulf Coast), 6-1, 6-0

Consolation Bracket Singles Round 1

No. 1: No. 8 Paul Gayk (Gulf Coast) def. Juan Cachaza (Lewis & Clark), 8-5

Wednesday Schedule

Consolation Bracket Singles Quarterfinals

No. 1: No. 8 Paul Gayk (Gulf Coast) vs. Ayden Anderson (Bevill State), 9:30 a.m.

No. 2: Hiram Havard (Gulf Coast) vs. Frichard Mulenga (Mesa), 9:30 a.m.

Consolation Bracket Doubles Quarterfinals

No. 2: Kyle Bond-Orren Ladner (Gulf Coast) vs. James Makaranga-Mlungisi Mhlanga (Lewis & Clark), 1:30 p.m.

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