No. 15 Bulldogs sweep No. 24 ICC

PERKINSTON — No. 15 Mississippi Gulf Coast picked up its first sweep of the young season Friday, blacking No. 24 Itawamba 9-0 in MACCC women's tennis action at the MGCCC Tennis Complex.

The Bulldogs evened their overall record at 2-2 and improved to 2-1 in the conference with some esprit de corps.

"The biggest difference-maker in today's match was the girls really had their best team performance so far this season," Gulf Coast coach Sam Blackburn said. "They played as a team, and they were really being the most encouraging I've heard from them, court to court, really hyping each other up. They're all talking each other up. They were a little more relaxed, but focused, and this is something we've been talking about since Day One. They put it together, and I think that was one difference why we competed and played so well today."

The Bulldogs quickly won all three doubles points, including Pia Pugliese (Fr., San Juan, Argentina/Colegio Central Universitario Mariano Moreno) and Paige Baronich (Fr., St. Martin/St. Martin), who didn't drop a game at No. 2.

None of the singles matches lasted longer than 75 minutes, highlighted by Victoria Ros Fabuel (Fr., Valencia, Spain /Colegio Sagrado Corazon Hermanos Maristas), who double-bageled her opponent at No. 3.

Itawamba is 1-3, 1-2.

Gulf Coast continues its home stand Tuesday when Hinds visits for another MACCC contest. First serves are at 2 p.m.

Results

Team: Gulf Coast 9, Itawamba 0

Doubles

No. 1: Isona Arnaus-Victoria Ros Fabuel (GC) def. Agostina Pizarro-Melina Vazquez, 8-3

No. 2: Pia Pugliese-Paige Baronich (GC) def. Ava Logan-Addison Joshlin, 8-0

No. 3: Katelyn Walker-Meredith Matthews (GC) def. Ava Moore-Breanne Sparks, 8-2

Singles

No. 1: Arnaus (GC) def. Pizarro, 6-2, 6-3

No. 2: Pugliese (GC) def. Joshlin, 6-0, 6-2

No. 3: Ros Fabuel (GC) def. Joshlin, 6-0, 6-0

No. 4: Baronich (GC) def. Sparks, 6-1, 6-1

No. 5: Walker (GC) def. Moore, 6-1, 6-0

No. 6: Andee Rogers (GC) def. Logan, 6-0, 6-2

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