No. 17 Mississippi Gulf Coast’s three singles players who won their first-round matches at the NJCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships in Tucson, Ariz., fell Sunday.

 

Kasey Kent (So., Ridgeland/Ridgeland), Hayden Hensarling (Fr., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs) and Bayley Askin (Fr., St. Martin/St. Martin) each had picked up two point for the Bulldogs on Saturday at the Reffkin Tennis Center.

 

They played seeded players in the second round.

 

“Six points on the first day like that is a lot,” Gulf Coast coach Sam Blackburn said. “It’s tough to accumulate that amount in the backdraw, so I’m proud of them today. Even today, they didn’t win but they competed against good players. Bayley lost a closer-than-it-looks match against Abraham Baldwin, but I’m proud of their fight and putting points on the board for us.”

 

Gulf Coast has three singles players and three doubles teams who will be back in action Monday in the consolation bracket. Each win in those brackets adds a half-point to the team total. Times and opponents will be announced later Sunday.

 

The championship concludes Wednesday.

 

“We definitely have more points we can start picking up tomorrow in the backdraw,” Blackburn said. “There are many points for us remaining to be earned.”

 

NJCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championship

Reffkin Tennis Center, Tucson, Ariz.

May 7-11 (All times CT)

Sunday results

Championship Draw

Singles

No. 2: (1) Destinee Martins (Tyler) def. Kasey Kent (GC), 6-0, 6-0

No. 3: (2) Kelly Arends (Tyler) def. Hayden Hensarling (GC), 6-0, 6-1

No. 4: (8) Ellie Black (Abraham Baldwin) def. Bayley Askin (GC), 6-1, 6-2

Monday schedule

Consolation Draw

Singles

No. 1: Tanyaradzwa Kaome (GC) vs. TBD

No. 5: Abigail Garman (GC) vs. TBD

No. 6: Ashleigh Chelette (GC) vs. TBD

Doubles

No. 1: Tanyaradzwa Kaome-Kasey Kent (GC) vs. TBD

No. 2: Hayden Hensarling-Abigail Garman (GC) vs. TBD

No. 3: Bayley Askin-Ashleigh Chelette (GC) vs. TBD

 

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