Tennis sweeps Hinds

Travis Burdick helped the men’s team get past Hinds Mar. 20.

BILOXI---Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College knocked the rust off a 14-day lay-off by sweeping Hinds at the Biloxi Tennis Center Tuesday.

The men (6-2) took care of Hinds 7-2 as Alexander and Lachlan Puyol both won in singles and doubles. In singles Alex Puyol defeated Hurbik 6-2, 5-7, and 10-8 in the third set tiebreaker while brother Lachlan defeated Gunbin 6-1, 6-0. In number one doubles Puyol/Puyol defeated Hurbik/Gunbin 8-4.

Also winning in singles for Gulf Coast was Travis Burdick over Gary Blissand 6-1, 6-1, and Grant Bell at number four singles against Alex Alexander 3-6, 6-3, and 10-5 in the third set tiebreaker. Gulf Coast also swept all three doubles matches, with Bell/Burdick defeating Blissand/Alexander 8-1, and Cameron Wolfe/Caleb Baughman dispatching Chris Harper and Esmond Fountain 8-0.

“I felt that we were very focused and we played really hard in very windy conditions,” said Gulf Coast tennis coach Gary Bourgeois. “You never what’s going to happen in the first match after spring break, but we came out really fired up and played aggressive tennis. I was really proud of Alexander Puyol, who avenged an earlier season loss at number one singles against Hurbik.”

“The Lady Bulldogs (6-2) rolled past Hinds 8-1 with Suzy Bowman leading the way with victories in singles and doubles. In singles play, Bowman beat Maria Costrices 6-3, 6-4 while in doubles play she teamed up with Arielle Fischer to shut down Gryssink/Costrices 8-3. Other winners were McKinsey Boss, who defeated Latoya Whitney 6-2, 6-1, and Kaleigh Grantham, who took care of Victoria Cooke 5-7, 6-0, and 10-3 in the third set tiebreaker. In doubles play, Boss/Grantham defeated Whitney/Cook 8-4.

“McKinsey Boss had to step up and play the number three position after Stacy Everhart suffered an injury,” Bourgeois added. “Kaleigh Grantham also pulled out a tough match in a third set tiebreaker.”

Gulf Coast travels to Holmes Mar. 27 before coming back to Biloxi Mar. 31 against Co-Lin.