MGCCC tennis battles quality teams at ITA Tournament

MGCCC'S Alex Puyol helped the Bulldog tennis team advance at the ITA Tournament

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College went toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the Southeast at the recent International Tennis Association Rankings Tournament.

Men’s singles action featured MGCCC’S Sean Robinson defeating Bulldog teammate Nick Georgian 6-0, 6-2 and Locas Souza of Itawamba 6-2, 6-2 before losing in the semi-finals to Darly Hale of Holmes 6-1, 4-2, retired.

In Men’s doubles, Robinson teamed with Alex Puyol to take down Adams/Thomas of Hinds 8-3 and Souza/Gardner of Itawamba 8-3. Robinson/Puyol eventually lost in the finals to Salomon/Min of Marion Military Institute 6-2, 6-2.

“I was pleased at the way we competed,” said Gulf Coast tennis coach Gary Bourgeois. “It was a tough tournament. Getting to the semi-finals in men’s singles and doubles shows we have the ability to have a special season if we continue to work hard and become smarter players.”

Brittany Buker of MGCCC made it to the women’s singles semi-finals defeating Tara-Beth Hall of Meridian 6-3, 6-4 and Anna-Blair Hunt of Itawamba 6-4, 7-6 (4).

MGCCC won the consolation women’s doubles as Mary King and Diamond Short got past Lady Bulldog teammates Kit Chowdhary and Britany Burker 6-3, 6-4.

“I was really happy with the play of our freshmen women players Brittany Buker, Kit Chowdhary, Sarah Soares and Aliesha Barlow,” Bourgeois added. “I thought

they handled the pressure of their first ITA tournament well and played hard. I was very happy with the play of Brittany Buker, who was not feeling well but still competed hard.”

Gulf Coast will compete in another fall match Oct. 16 at Hinds.