May
6, 2010
Lady Tiger tennis nabs fourth place national finish
Showing they are one of the top tennis programs in the nation, the Cowley
College women’s tennis team finished fourth out of 31 teams at
the NJCAA National Championship held in Tucson, AZ.
The fourth place finish tied for the second highest finish in the program’s
history, behind only the 2002 squad’s third place finish.
Cowley got a big win from its No. 3 doubles team of Wrylie Finkle and
Shannon Franz on Thursday as the duo teamed to defeat Jahyna Pope and
Marley Myers from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 8-5 in the consolation
finals.
The victory helped Cowley (24 points) finish a half point ahead of fifth
place Florida Community College at Jacksonville (23.5 points).
Lady Tiger head coach Josh Cobble could not have been more pleased with
the team’s performance.
“Every player scored a point on our team, which was huge for us,” Cobble
said. “We needed a great effort from everybody and we got it.”
Tyler Junior College took home the national title with 52 points, while
Lee College finished as the national runner-up with 36 points. Hillsborough
Community College, which was ranked No. 1 for the majority of the season,
finished third with 31 points.
After sharing the lead after the first day of the tournament, Johnson
County Community College finished 11th with 19 points, and Mesa Community
College ended up 15th with 17.5 points.
Cowley was led by its top-two singles players, Adrijana Pavlovic and
Jessica Montemayor, as both players advanced to the semifinals before
losing.
“I have said all year long that those two can play with anybody in the
country and they showed that this week,” Cobble said.
Montemayor also teamed with Brittney Laner to advance to the semifinals
at No. 2 doubles before being eliminated by a doubles team from Tyler.
The team’s seven sophomores have had tremendous success over the
past two seasons as they captured back-to-back Region VI championships
and garnered a pair of top-10 national finishes.
“They are such a great group of young ladies, they have grown in the
classroom and on the court,” Cobble said. “It will be tough to
see them leave, but they will go on to do great things.”
Freshman Brittney Berryman will be the lone returnee for next year’s
team. However, for now, the team will have a chance to reflect on a tremendous
season.
Top-10 team scores: (1) Tyler, 52 points; (2) Lee, 36 points; (3) Hillsborough,
31 points; (4) Cowley, 24; (5) Jacksonville, 23.5; (6) Collin, 23; (7)
ASA Inst., 22.5; (8) St. Petersburg, 21; (9tie) Seminole State, 20; (9tie)
NCTC, 20.
Cowley Results:
DOUBLES
- No. 1 - Adrijana Pavlovic/Jamie Blackim (CC) defeated Rebekah Hegel/Rachel
Hegel (Elgin) 6-1, 6-1; defeated Anna Vavrik/Aline Ferreira (Meridian)
7-5, 6-3; lost to Mariya Slupska/Brooke Dennis (Tyler) 5-7, 4-6 in
the quarterfinals.
- No. 2 - Jessica Montemayor/Brittney Laner (CC) defeated Jennifer
Black/Katie Kilgore (Snead State) 6-2, 6-1; defeated Sofya Korotaeva/Stephanie
Dunseith (St. Petersburg) 7-5, 6-4; defeated Fatma Kuzu/Taylor Holzknecht
(Collin) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5; lost to Sun Wen/Antonia Kolovou (Tyler) 0-6,
0-6 in the semifinals.
- No. 3 - Wrylie Finkle/Shannon Franz (CC) lost to Tracy Schnack/Elisha
Bryant (North Central Texas) 3-6, 6-7 (2); defeated Lucy Gaynor/Daisy
Quezada (Pima) 8-1; defeated Kristen Baker/Alyssa Gonzales (Temple)
9-7; defeated Kaley Allen/Shelley Munn (Meridian) 8-4; defeated Jahyna
Pope/Marley Myers (ABAC) 8-5 in the consolation finals.
SINGLES
- No. 1 - Pavlovic (CC) defeated Kim Grace (Lake County) 6-2, 6-0;
defeated Rachel Rossi (Marion Military Institute) 6-2, 6-0; ; defeated
Madeline Johnson (St. Petersburg) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5; lost to Nadia Lee
(Lee) 2-6, 1-6 in the semifinals.
- No. 2 - Montemayor (CC) defeated Mariel Alvarez (North Central Texas)
6-2, 6-2; defeated Manuela Gomez (Lee College) 6-1, 2-6, 7-5; defeated
Tracy Cooper (Johnson) 6-2, 6-0; lost to Nachell Proctor (Hillsborough)
6-4, 3-6, 1-6 in the semifinals.
- No. 3 - Blackim (CC) defeated Mirka Illasova (Lake County) 6-2, 6-0;
lost to Antonia Kolovou (Tyler) 2-6, 1-6.
- No. 4 - Natalia Medina (CC) defeated Rachel Clarke (Eastern Arizona)
6-3, 6-3; lost to Chelsey Lynn (Jacksonville) 6-0, 5-7, 1-6.
- No. 5 - Finkle (CC) lost to Jenn Wooland (North Central Texas) 6-3,
6-2; defeated Melanie Reuster (Central Alabama) 8-3; defeated Kayla
Neudecker (Lewis & Clark) 8-2; lost to Arlette Cochran (Jones County)
4-8.
- No. 6 - Laner (CC) defeated Katie McIver (Lewis & Clark) 6-1,
6-3; lost to Kaycee Wood (Collin) 2-6, 2-6.
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