MCC claims region crowns

By Rocky Higginbotham / Sports Editor

Coach Wanda McPhail’s juggernaut tennis program at Meridian Community College produced two more region titles Wednesday, as both the Eagles and Lady Eagles captured the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament championships at the Northeast Tennis Center.

It was the second straight region crown and sixth in the last eight years for the MCC women, who will go to the NJCAA National Championships Tournament May 1-7 in Tucson, Ariz. The Lady Eagles had a top-10 finish in the nationals a year ago.

It was also the sixth region crown in the last eight years for the MCC men — who three-peated with their performance Wednesday. The Eagles will go to Plano, Texas May 11-15 for the national tourney, where they placed 14th a year ago.

MCC racked up 14 teams points in the Region 23 event to easily outdistance Itawamba (5), Hinds (5) and Copiah-Lincoln (3).

Individual champs from the Meridian men included:

• Gabriel Nicotra in No. 2 singles. Nicotra won 5-7, 7-5, 6-0 over Fyodor Tabachnikov of Hinds in the finals after cruising 6-5, 6-0 in the semifinals Tuesday;

• Andres Cepede in No. 3 singles. Cepede won 6-1, 6-1 over Duffy Loel of Hinds in the finals and 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals;

• Jeremy Purdum in No. 4 singles. He won 6-2, 6-2 in the championship over Itawamba’s Jody Vinson and 6-2, 6-2 in the semis;

• Wade Henderson in No. 5 singles. He won 6-1, 6-1 over Justin Hewitt of Co-Lin in the finals and was a 6-1, 6-0 winner in the semis;

• Kyle Dew in No. 6 singles. Dew won 6-3, 6-5 over Co-Lin’s Blake Smith in the finals after winning 6-1, 6-1 in the semis;

• Cepede and Henderson, who won 6-2, 6-2 in No. 2 doubles after opening with a 6-1, 6-1 win; and

• Clark and Purdum, who won 6-0, 6-2 in the No. 3 doubles finals after a 6-1, 6-0 victory in the semis.

The Meridian women rolled up 18 team points, coasting past Hinds (5), Jones (4) and Itawamba to claim the title.

Individual titles for the Lady Eagles included:

• Anna Vavrik in No. 1 singles. Vavrik won 6-0, 6-1 over Hinds’ Daria Egerova in the finals after a 6-2, 6-0 win in the semis;

• Meridian’s own Kelly Sterling, who won 6-2, 6-3 over Aline Ferreira of Hinds in the No. 2 singles final. Sterling won 6-1, 6-1 in her first match;

• Ashton Hartley in No. 3 singles. Hartley won 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 (8-4) over Sherika Trader of Hinds in the championship after cruising 6-1, 6-0 in the semis;

• Katy Shoptaugh in No. 4 singles. She won 6-1, 6-5 over Mary Carole Kiewit of JCJC in the finals after a 6-2, 6-1 semifinal victory;

• Kayla Daughtrey in No. 5 singles. She was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Tiffany Hudson of JCJC after a 6-2, 6-1 win in the semis;

• Claire Massey in No. 6 singles. Massey topped Rebecca Rodgers of Jones 6-0, 6-2 in the finals after a 6-0, 6-1 win in the semis;

• Vavrik and Sterling, who won 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in No. 1 doubles after a 6-0, 6-1 win Tuesday;

• Shoptaugh and Hartley, who were 6-2, 6-1 winners in No. 2 doubles after opening with a 6-0, 6-2 victory; and

• Massey and Daughtrey, who won No. 3 doubles 6-2, 6-0 after opening with a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the semifinals.