(From left to right): Brittney Buker, Constance Watson, Anniesia Johnson, Christa Owen, Tori Rose, Kit Chowdhary, Aliesha Barlow, head coach Gary Bourgeois

Posted: May 01, 2014

Lady Bulldogs ready to take on NJCAA'S best

PERKINSTON---Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College sophomore Brittney Buker has felt the do-or-die pressure before. It happened earlier this season when the Lady Bulldog tennis team needed one more win to secure a tournament victory and Buker delivered.

The same scenario developed at last weekend's MACJC/Region 23 Tournament.

"We needed one more victory to wrap up third place," said Gulf Coast head tennis coach Gary Bourgeois. "Brittney came through in the clutch like she always does."

After being down 3-0 in the second set of her match, Buker came back and won the #4 singles title...a win that punched the team's ticket to the NJCAA Tournament in Tyler, Texas next week. It's the 9th time in the last 11 seasons that a Gulf Coast tennis squad has reached the Nationals. Buker and her Lady Bulldog teammates have all shined in those moments in 2014 on their way to a 12-3 regular season record.

"We had a terriffic season," Bourgeois added. "I love the way the girls battled and have had each other's backs this year."

Freshman Christa Owen spent a good portion of the spring playing basketball and tennis.

"I was having to go to basketball practice, which was an unbelieveable amount of hours in the day, and then come to tennis," said Owen. "Trying to keep up with both sports was challenging, but everything has worked out."

Last fall Owen and sophomore Kit Chowdhary both competed at the ITA Small College Championships in Florida, so this will be their second taste of national competition.

Meanwhile Anniesia Johnson was a sophomore transfer player hoping to get some playing time when the season began. Now, she's headed to the National Tournament along with Chowdhary, Aliesha Barlow, Buker, Owen, Tori Rose, and Constance Watson.

"It's exciting to go and compete against the best teams in the country," Johnson said. "All my teammates have been great. They've made me feel very welcome."

The Tournament runs from May 3-8.