PERKINSTON —Meridian Community College, along with nine other Mississippi Community and Junior Colleges, converged on the campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for the Region XXIII/MACJC State Tennis Tournament.  

The four-day tournament began Wednesday, April 19, and finished on Saturday. Meridian only played one line on Wednesday, as all other Meridian players were seeded so did not play until the quarterfinals.  

At the end of the long, hot four days, Meridian came in second behind Mississippi Gulf Coast, which was favored to win the tournament after defeating Meridian in the last dual match between the two teams April 8. Meridian’s women entered the tournament with a 15-1 conference record.

Gulf Coast women accrued 28 points to take first place. Meridian took second with 24. Jones took third place with 21. The top three teams advance to the NJCAA National Tennis Tournament May 7-11 in Tucson, Ariz., at the Refkin Tennis Center.  

Meridian’s No. 1 singles player fell in the first round to Itawamba’s Jordan Roberts 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. 

Meridian’s No. 2 player, Jordyn Hull, who was the fourth seed, defeated Abbey Hollowell in the quarterfinals 6-0, 6-1. In the semifinals, Jordyn played the No. 1 one seed from Gulf Coast, Bianca Buie (Romania), to whom Hull lost 1,1.

Meridian’s third flight singles player, Kyra Holway, who was seeded one going into the tournament, defeated Julia Johnston of ECCC 0,1 to begin play. In the semifinals, Howay defeated ECCC’s Mary Neely Myers 1, 2. Holway fell to Katie Burrall 4, 2.  

Taylor Miller, who has nursed a knee injury since early February, came through in a big way to win her flight at four singles. Miller, the one seed, defeated Chen Elizar of Hinds CC in the quarterfinals 1,0. In the semifinals, Miller defeated JCJC’s Kaylee McLaurin 1, 2. Miller cruised to an easy win over Gulf Coast’s Jasmine Sartin 0,2 to claim the championship.  

At five singles, Rachel Sollie for Meridian  defeated Emily Standard, NWMCC, 0,0. In quarterfinal play, Sollie defeated Samantha McCrimon, who subbed in for An Duong of ECCC, 0,2. In the finals, Sollie fell to JCJC’s Mattie Mills 2,0.  

The No. 6 singles championship proved to be one of the most exciting matches of the day. Meridian’s Micah Gray, who was playing Gulf Coast, fell in the first set to Jill Craft 2-6. Gray dug in and pulled out the win 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2.  In the semifinals, Gray defeated Maddie Ogden of Co-Lin 0,1.  Gray, who came into the tournament as the No. 1 seed, then defeated Charity Tedford from Itawamba in the quarterfinals 2,0.  

In doubles play Meridian’s No. 1 doubles duo Jordyn Hull/Shelby Zachry picked up two points for the team with a victory in the quarterfinals over NWMCC 0,1 to advance to the semis.  

In the semifinals, Meridian fell to the No. 1 seeds from Hinds, Mariana Alvarez/Stefy Varon-Diaz 1,0. Alvarez and Diaz won the one flight with a win over Paulina Estrada/Bianca Buie from Gulf Coast 3,3.

At No. 2 doubles, Taylor Miller/Rachel Sollie who were the one seed, defeated Piper Johnson/Emily Crider 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. In the semifinals, the duo lost a heartbreaker to ECCC’s Chaney Mills/Andi McCrimon 6-2, 0-6, 7-6 (4). 

Meridian’s three doubles duo of Kyra Holway/Micah Gray, who played the last match of the day, took care of business against GC’s Jasmine Sartin/Sarah McMillan 6-2, 6-4. 

Meridian coach Wanda McPhail was selected by the MACJC coaches as the MACJC Women’s Coach of the Year.