MGCCC women fall in opener

WIGGINS — The Mississippi Gulf Coast women's tennis team played without its No. 2 player in the season opener Friday, and the Bulldogs fell to Hinds 8-1.

The matches were played at the Wynn Tennis Center as the finishing touches are put on the MGCCC Tennis Complex resurfacing.

"Not having our No. 2 makes a big difference, but it's not an excuse," Gulf Coast coach Sam Blackburn said. "I think no matter what the lineup is, we should come out ready to win. Hinds brought it, and we were really pushed. It'll make us better. With our No. 2, it's a very winnable match. I'm proud our girls fighting for every point, but it's a young group and they'll get better as the season goes along."

Abigail Garman (Fr., Diamondhead/Hancock) and Ashleigh Chelette (So., Vancleave/Vancleave) picked up Gulf Coast's sole point. They won 9-7 at No. 2 doubles.

Bayley Askin (Fr., St. Martin/St. Martin) and Ashlegh Wine (Fr., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs) push their No. 3 doubles match to the brink. Tanyaradzwa Kaome (Fr., Harare, Zimbabwe/The Heritage School) battled back dropping a first-set tiebreaker in No. 1 singles to force a third-set tiebreaker, but fell 10-7 in the deciding frame.

Gulf Coast hits the road Tuesday for another MACCC match. The Bulldogs will play in Fulton against Itawamba.

Results

Team: Hinds 8, MGCCC 1

Doubles

No. 1: Eni Anic-Itzel Gonzalez (HIN) def. Tanyaradzwa Kaome-Hayden Hensarling (GC), 8-4

No. 2: Abigail Garman-Ashleigh Chelette (GC) def. Emi Smith-Morgan Ross (HIN), 9-7

No. 3: Myesha Nealon-Nyesha Nealon (HIN) def. Bayley Askin-Ashlegh Wine (GC), 9-7

Singles

No. 1: Anic (HIN) def. Kaome (GC), 7-6, 5-7, 10-7

No. 2: Gonzalez (HIN) def. Hensarling (GC), 6-3, 6-2

No. 3: E. Smith (HIN) def. Askin (GC), 6-1, 6-1

No. 4: Ross (HIN) def. Garman (GC), 6-3, 6-2

No. 5: M. Nealon (HIN) def. Chelette (GC), 6-3, 6-1

No. 6: A. Smith (HIN) def. Wine (GC), 6-4, 6-0

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