Deep women’s tennis squad gears up for 2017

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast tennis coach Gary Bourgeois has big expectations for this year's Lady Bulldogs squad.

A deep squad should be better able to overcome the bumps and bruises that decimated the ranks last season, forcing him to search for midseason roster replacements from other places in the school.

"The women have an opportunity to win it all if the bottom part of the lineup can come through," he said. "I think we're very strong at the top of the lineup with Paulina Estrada, Bianca Buie and Katie Burrall. They can play with anyone in the league.

"There's still competition at the bottom half of the lineup.  That's going to be the story of our season, how those younger players come through."

Bourgeois has Paulina Estrada (So., San Luis, Mexico/Colegio del Bosque) inked in at the No. 1 singles spot. She advanced to the MACJC/Region 23 semifinals last year in singles and repeated with a fall trip to the ITA Oracle Cup, formerly the Small College Championship, to play doubles.

"Paulina has improved a lot mentally," Bourgeois said. "She seems to be really motivated. She's got some four-year schools interested in her. She works hard in practice. She's been lights out."

She made that trip with Burrall (So., Hernando/Hernando), who has won the No. 3 singles spot for Gulf Coast. She's a transfer from Northwest Mississippi, where she played No. 1 singles last year.

Bourgeois has tinkered with the doubles lineup, and now Estrada will play No. 1 with Buie (Fr., Baia Mare, Romania,/Gheorghe Sincai National High School).

"Bianca has improved so much from the fall," he said. "She was apprehensive, didn't know what to expect from the level of play. She's settled in. She's beaten the player that beat her in the early part of the fall, who I think is the second-best No. 2 in the state. I think she's found her place and solidified her position at No. 2 doubles."

Burrall will team with Jenna Lyons (Fr., Pascagoula/Pascagoula) in doubles.

Bourgeois is still tinkering with the final two singles spots, but Jasmine Sartin (So, Biloxi, Biloxi) will play at No. 4. She made it to last year's state semifinals at No. 2 singles, which speaks to the infusion of talent on the roster.

Jillianne Craft (Fr., Gulfport/St. Patrick), Sarah McMillan (Fr., Jayess/North Pike) and Kaci Calhoun (Fr., Florence/Florence) join Lyons in the mix for No. 5 and No. 6 singles, and a duo from that group will form the No. 3 doubles team.

"That competition only brings out the best," Bourgeois said. "I like to put them under pressure. We simulate some pressure in practice, and there's nothing better than for them to try to qualify for the top six."

Gulf Coast will again host the state and region tennis tournament, which is scheduled for April 19-22 at the MGCCC Tennis Complex.

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