Defending state champs off to fast start

PERKINSTON — The Mississippi Gulf Coast women's tennis team's defense of its state championship got off to a flying start Tuesday as the Lady Bulldogs swept Hinds 9-0.

Gulf Coast set the tone in the doubles, with Bianca Buie (So, Baia Mare, Romania/Gheorghe Sincai National High School) and Margarita Lopareva (Fr, Moscow, Russia/School No. 1101) winning in a tiebreaker. Jenna Lyons (So, Pascagoula/Pascagoula) and Megan Bankston (Fr, Gulfport/Gulfport) cruised to an 8-1 win in No. 2 doubles, and Jillianne Craft (So, Gulfport/St. Patrick) and Tierney Holmes (Fr, Greenwood/Greenwood) won 8-4 at No. 3.

Those six Lady Bulldogs combined to win all the singles matches.

Gulf Coast returns to action Thursday when it travels to Holmes. First serve is at 3 p.m.

Results

Team: MGCCC women 9, Hinds 0

Doubles

No. 1: Bianca Buie-Margarita Lopareva (MGCCC) def. Stefy Varon Diaz-Scarlett Gutierriez 9-8 (7-4)

No. 2: Jenna Lyons-Megan Bankston (MGCCC) def. Jordan Warren-Anna Hayden Taylor 8-1

No. 3: Jillianne Craft-Tierney Holmes (MGCCC) def. Madison Curtis-Olivia White 8-4

Singles

No. 1: Buie (MGCCC) def. Stefy Varon 6-3, 6-4

No. 2: Lopareva (MGCCC) def. Gutierriez 6-2, 6-4

No. 3: Bankston (MGCCC) def. Warren 6-2, 6-0

No. 4: Holmes (MGCCC) def. White 6-4, 6-1

No. 5: Lyons (MGCCC) def. Courtney Buffington 6-2, 6-1

No. 6: Craft (MGCCC) def. Curtis 0-6, 6-2, 10-7

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