No. 17 MGCCC wins four matches at nationals

No. 17 Mississippi Gulf Coast won four matches Sunday at the NJCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship on Sunday in windy Tucson, Ariz., with Katie Burrall winning both her matches without dropping a set.

"This is one of the highest scores we've ever had on the first day," Gulf Coast coach Gary Bourgeois said. "Winning four main draw matches is eight points. Now we go into the back draw, and those matches are a half-point each. These monster matches today were huge."

Burrall (So, Hernando/Hernando) won at No. 3 singles over Paradise Valley's Bianca Amaya, and Jillianne Craft (Fr, Gulfport/St. Patrick) won 7-6 (0), 6-0 at No. 6 singles over Emily Cheshier of Central Alabama.

In doubles, Burrall and Jenna Lyons (Fr, Pascagoula/Pascagoula) won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 over Reeya Randhawa and Jennifer Milne of Dupage. Sarah McMillan (Fr, Jayess/North Pike) and Jasmine Sartin (So, Biloxi/Biloxi) combined at No. 3 to defeat Pima's Elise Rodriguez and Jayme Shafer 6-1, 6-1.

The other five positions lost Sunday, which sends them to the consolation bracket. Bourgeois said the players were quickly adapting to the environment and pressure at the national tournament, with better performances in the doubles matches an indicator.

"The back draw, I think we can do well," he said. "We can pick up some half-point matches tomorrow. Everybody is still enthusiastic. It feels like we can really do well here."

NJCAA Division I Women's Championship

Tucson, Ariz.

Sunday results

Doubles

No. 1: Juliette Mary-Amelie Saint-Dizier (Eastern Arizona) def. Paulina Estrada-Bianca Buie (MGCCC) 6-4, 6-3

No. 2: Katie Burrall-Jenna Lyons (MGCCC) def. Reeya Randhawa-Jennifer Milne (Dupage) 6-0, 6-0

No. 3: Sarah McMillan-Jasmine Sartin (MGCCC) def. Elise Rodriguez-Jayme Shafer (Pima) 6-1, 6-1

Singles

No. 1: Alexandria Gilbert (Collin) def. Paulina Estrada (MGCCC) 6-2, 6-2

No. 2: Anastasiia Goncharova (Broward) def. Bianca Buie (MGCCC) 6-3, 6-4

No. 3: Katie Burrall (MGCCC) def. Bianca Amaya (Paradise Valley) 6-0, 6-0

No. 4: Maria Garduno (Cowley) def. Jasmine Sartin (MGCCC) 6-0, 6-0

No. 5: Kylie Woody (Collin) def. Jenna Lyons 6-0, 6-2

No. 6: Jillianne Craft (MGCCC) def. Emily Cheshier (Central Alabama) 7-6 (0), 6-0

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCAthletics on Twitter and BulldogLIVE on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.