No. 11 Mississippi Gulf Coast pounded No. 22 Itawamba to launch the 2023 MACCC women’s tennis season, winning 8-1 in Fulton.

 

It didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to take care of business.

 

“They finished really fast,” Gulf Coast coach Sam Blackburn said. “They did what I asked them to do which was start hot and finish hotter. They got on and off the court and took care of Itawamba pretty quick.”

 

Hayden Hensarling (So., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs) blanked her opponent at No. 4 singles.

 

“Hayden won really fast at 6-0, 6-0,” Blackburn said. “I was proud of the way she stayed mentally locked in from the get-go to the last ball.”

 

Bayley Askin (So., St. Martin/St. Martin) and Abigail Garman (So., Diamondhead/Hancock) also double-bageled their singles opponents.

 

Gulf Coast will be back at home on Friday for another MACCC match. East Central visits for a 2 p.m. start at the MGCCC Tennis Complex.

 

Results

Team: Gulf Coast 8, Itawamba 1

Doubles

No. 1: Tanyaradzwa Kaome-Angela Moreno (GC) def. Martina Coghetto-Jimena Palomo, 8-4

No. 2: Hayden Hensarling-Kendall Burn (GC) def. Cheyenne Hughes-Katilyn Greenwood, 8-2

No. 3: Bayley Askin-Abigail Garman (GC) def. Tyler Athas-Maggie Franks, 8-3

Singles

No. 1: Kaome (GC) def. Coghetto, 6-3, 6-2

No. 2: Palomo (ICC) def. Moreno, 6-1, 6-3

No. 3: Askin (GC) def. Hughes, 6-0, 6-0

No. 4: Hensarling (GC) def. Greenwood, 6-0, 6-0

No. 5: Burn (GC) def. Athas, 6-3, 6-4

No. 6: Garman (GC) def. Franks, 6-0, 6-0

 

For more information on MGCCC’s 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.