No. 13 Mississippi Gulf Coast picked up three wins Monday on the first day of the NJCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship, which had its schedule torn apart by rains in Plano, Texas.

“It has been a long one,” Gulf Coast coach Sam Blackburn said. “It’s way longer than any day we had in Arizona with the women. It’s crazy.”

Organizers moved some matches from host Collin College’s facility to the Southern Methodist University’s indoor courts. But the Bulldogs’ got their victories outside at the original venue.

Clay Fudge (Fr., Madison/Madison Central) and Jackson Ward (Fr., Gulfport/Gulfport) won their singles matches, and Ward teamed with Anderson Dulaney (Fr., Long Beach/Long Beach) to claim two points at No. 3 doubles.

Fudge beat Iowa Central’s Nico Zumba 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.

“Clay played a very good match against a good player,” Blackburn said. “He just played very steady tennis. He didn’t make a lot of errors, served very well, didn’t have many double faults, got some aces and just played very clean. He didn’t give the guy a whole lot.”

Ward had a straightforward time with Illinois Valley’s Aaron Brander at No. 6. He won 6-0, 6-3.

“Jackson just played steady tennis and let his guy beat himself,” Blackburn said. “He cruised to a pretty easy victory.”

In a late-night doubles match, Ward and Dulaney showed they are peaking at the right time.

“I think they played the best match they played all season,” Blackburn said. “They played a pretty decent team from Harford and they won pretty handily. I was very impressed with them.”

More rain is forecast in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Tuesday, and organizers have already decided to postpone consolation bracket matches a day. Only the main draw will be played, and barring a wrong forecast, it will all be indoors.

The Bulldogs’ other six courts are expected to have the day off.

NJCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship

Collin College/Southern Methodist University

Plano, Arizona

May 17-21 (all times CT)

Monday Results

Singles

No. 1: Thomas Reche (Eastern Florida) def. Seth Macute (GC), 6-1, 6-1

No. 2: Pablo Lopez Real (Harford) def. Pedro Molero (GC), 6-1, 6-1

No. 3: Josep Coll Llopis (Harford) def. Wesley Fontaine (GC), 6-3, 6-0

No. 4: Clay Fudge (GC) def. Nico Zumba (Iowa Central), 6-2, 6-4

No. 5: Ryan Christensen (Jacksonville) def. Anderson Dulaney (GC), 6-1, 4-6, 7-5

No. 6: Jackson Ward (GC) def. Aaron Brander (Illinois Valley), 6-0, 6-3

Doubles

No. 1: Harry Collins-Pablo Lopez Real (Harford) def. Seth Macute-Wesley Fontaine (GC), 6-4, 6-3

No. 2: Barnabas Kalaba-James Kaoma (Barton) def. Pedro Molero-Clay Fudge (GC), 6-3, 6-3

No. 3: Anderson Dulaney-Jackson Ward (GC) def. Sean Floyd-Pabilito Poleo (Harford), 6-1, 6-2

Tuesday’s Schedule

Main Draw

Singles

No. 4: Clay Fudge (GC) vs. (2) Alejandro Orihuela (Cowley), 2:15 p.m.

No. 6: Jackson Ward (GC) vs. (1) Yassir Kilani (Tyler), 3:30 p.m.

Doubles

No. 3: Anderson Dulaney-Jackson Ward (GC) vs. (5) Juan Gonzalez-Franco Vechhia (Seward), TBA

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