MCC Tennis Completes Busy Weekend of Matches

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College tennis squads returned to action over the weekend as the Meridian women were defeated  5-4 at the hands of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, while the MCC men took a win 7-2.

The MCC women lost all three courts.  Mallory Davis/Jenni Smith lost to Christa Owens/Kit Chowdary 8-6, while at number two doubles, Molly Davis/Madison Gillette lost to Brittany Buker/Tori Rose 8-5, and the number three duo of Caroline Terry/Taylor White lost to Alisha Barlow/Annisa Johnson 8-4.  Meridian won singles matches at number two with Jenni Smith winning a hard fought match against Kit Chowdary 2-6, 6-3, 10-6; Madison Gillette defeating Tori Rose 5-3, 6-2, Molly Davis winning 6-0, 6-1 and Taylor White winning 6-4, 6-2.  Mallory Davis lost to top-recruited player from 2013 graduating class, Christa Owen, 6-2, 6-2.  Caroline Terry lost to Brittany Buker 6-3, 6-0.

In men’s action, Kevin Millet defeated Matt Barlow at number one singles 6-0, 7-5.  At number two singles, Will Rogers defeated Travous Wilson 6-2, 6-2.  Chris Mallette won his match at number three against D’Angelo Baxter 6-0, 6-3.  The number four singles for MCC, Cody Gallenbeck, who was playing in Judson Watson’s spot, lost 6-2, 6-2 to Bobby Vo.  The number five singles was won by MCC’s Reed Wade over Tyler Youngblood 6-2, 6-2.  Christian Jackson defeated Josh Johnson at number six 6-4, 6-4.  Meridian won the one and two doubles with scores of 8-6, 8-6, while the number three duo of Reed Wade/TJ Carter lost to Youngblood/Vo 8-6. 

Meridian’s women played host to Seminole State out of Seminole, Oklahoma on Saturday, losing by a score of 6-3.  Again, Meridian lost all three doubles by scores of 9-8 (2), 1-8, and 8-6.  Meridian’s only wins came at number three singles where Madison Gillette defeated Haley Pope 6-2, 6-1.  The number four singles was won by MCC’s Caroline Terry 7-5, 7-5.  At number five singles MCC’s Molly Davis dominated the court with a win over Shay Hurren 6-2, 6-1.  Taylor White lost a heartbreaker at number six.  She won  the first set 5-7, lost the second set 6-2 then lost a super tiebreak 12-10.

“We just have to learn to be more consistent in singles and to “pack a lunch.”  Singles is a marathon whereas doubles is a sprint,” stated MCC head coach Wanda McPhail. “Sometimes a player has to want it more than the other player does. “You can’t coach heart; you can’t coach desire. It comes from within.” Yogi Berra said that ninety percent of baseball is mental and the other fifty percent is physical. Tennis is the same way.  We just have to do some more maturing on the courts and work together as a team.”