By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
April 20, 2002
Three schools were within two points of the lead at the end of the first day in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College State/Region 23 Division II Tennis Tournament which is being held at Northeast Tennis Center.
Ten teams are competing in the event hosted by Meridian Community College.
Copiah-Lincoln led at the end of Friday's play with 11 points. Itawamba was second with 10, while Meridian was in third place with nine. Also competing are Hinds (7), Pearl River (6), Jones (4), East Central (3), Holmes (1), Gulf Coast (0), and Southwest (0).
Action resumes today at 10:30 a.m. with singles finals set for 9:30 a.m. and doubles at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Co-Lin has qualified for the semifinal round in eight of the nine events. Meridian and Itawamba have qualified in six events each, while Pearl River has qualified in four.
The teams compete in six groups of singles play and three groups of doubles play.
In No. 1 singles quarterfinal matches, Co-Lin's Lindsey Phillips beat Pearl River's Leigh McCombs 6-3, 6-2; Whitaker of Jones knocked off East Central's Tori Tijerina 6-0, 6-1; Meridian's Charlotte Heidelberg bested Southwest's Tara Rhodus 6-1, 6-1; and Itawamba's Brittnay Scott beat Hinds' Lura Winkler 6-0, 6-3. Tijerina beat Holmes' Leslie Bierstine 6-2, 6-3 and Winkler defeated Gulf Coast's Amber Garvey 6-0, 6-1 in opening round play.
In No. 2 singles quarterfinals, Co-Lin's Hollie Adams defeated Gulf Coast's Jennifer McQuire 6-0, 6-1; MCC's Megan Chivas beat Jones' Amanda Bush 6-1, 6-1; Hinds' Ashley Manuel knocked off ECCC's Brandie Bounds 6-0, 6-0; and Itawamba's Caitlin McClarty bested Holmes' Angela Ramage 6-1, 6-3. Bounds defeated Pearl River's Tannia McAtee 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 and Ramage knocked off Southwest's Courtney Turnage 6-3, 6-1 in first-round play.
In No. 3 singles quarterfinals, MCC's Amanda Carden beat Itawamba's Cecil Crane 6-0, 6-1; Co-Lin's Bethany Barr defeated ECCC's Katie Bourland 6-2, 6-2; Jones' Stephanie Stringer knocked off Hinds' Chauvarti Washington 7-5, 6-3; and Pearl River's Leslie Miller beat Gulf Coast's Krissy Gattis 6-1, 6-0. In the only first round match, Crane defeated Southwest's Jessica Jackson 6-2, 6-0.
In No. 4 singles quarterfinals, MCC's Anna Bailey beat Pearl River's Tonya Newton 6-0, 6-3; Hinds' Cassie Powell defeated ECCC's Carrie Shrock 6-3, 6-2; Itawamba's Marlena White beat Jones' Andrea Austin 6-0, 7-5; and Co-Lin's Jessica Phillips beat Gulf Coast's Sarah Logan 6-1, 6-1. In the only first round match, White beat Southwest's Jovan Hughey 6-0, 6-0.
In No. 5 singles quarterfinals, ECCC's Nikki Tullos defeated Jones' Jodie Dilmore 4-6, 7-5, 6-0; Pearl River's Amy Alton beat Southwest's Heather Morgan 6-1, 6-0; Co-Lin's Kim McBride knocked off MCC's Casie Joyner 6-3, 7-6; and Itawamba's Nikki Crane defeated Hinds' Bridgett Brooks 6-0, 6-2.
In No. 6 singles quarterfinal action, Itawamba's Kristen Cother beat Jones' Brianna Spell 6-4, 6-2. Co-Lin's Ashley Matthews, Pearl River's Ashley Ponder, and MCC's Jill Hathorn drew byes to the semifinal round.
In No. 1 doubles quarterfinal play, Co-Lin's Adams and Lindsey Phillips defeated Southwest 6-1, 6-1. In opening-round matches, Pearl River's McCombs and McAtee bested ECCC's Bounds and Tijerina 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 and Hinds' Winkler and Manuel beat Gulf Coast's Garvey and McQuire 6-3, 6-1.
In No. 2 doubles, Pearl River's Miller and Newton advanced to the semifinals with a 6-1, 6-0 quarterfinal win over Gulf Coast's Logan and Gattis. Powell and Washington of Hinds defeated Southwest 6-0, 6-0. In first-round action, Itawamba's White and Cecil Crane defeated ECCC's Shrock and Bourland 6-3, 4-6, 7-6.
In No. 3 doubles, MCC's Joyner and Hathorn posted a 6-4, 6-2 quarterfinal win over Pearl River's Alton and Ponder. Drawing byes to the semifinal round are Itawamba's Nikki Crane and Cother, Jones' Spell and Dilmore, and Co-Lin's McBride and Matthews.