No. 13 Bulldogs are Texas-bound

PERKINSTON — No. 13 Mississippi Gulf Coast hit the road Thursday heading west to play in the NJCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championship.

The Bulldogs will start play Saturday in Tyler, Texas, with the tournament concluding Wednesday.

“The goal is to be the top team in the state at the end and try to make some really deep runs in the main draw,” Gulf Coast coach Sam Blackburn said. “If we do happen to be in the back draw, win a few there. I think we’ve got a good chance to do those things.” 

Gulf Coast finished head-to-head competition 13-5. The Bulldogs went 8-1 to finish second in MACCC play and earned an automatic berth at nationals as Region 23 runners-up.

The national tournament has nine brackets, three doubles courts and six singles courts. Teams earn points for winning matches to advance in the draw. Players are guaranteed two matches, with first-match losers heading to the consolation bracket. Each win there counts half.

The Bulldogs tied for 12^th with Jones last year and won the No. 3 doubles consolation bracket.

Kendall Burn (So., Wiggins/Stone) advanced to a doubles semifinal last year.

“I just love how much competition there was around every single court,” she said. “Everyone is getting after it. We’re not all playing at the same time, so all the girls can cheer you on during your match.”

There will be coaches from four-year schools on hand scouting, so players can earn scholarships to continue their collegiate playing careers.

The goal for players at the start of the year is to make the national tournament, so the Bulldogs will go out there and enjoy the competitive atmosphere. Angela Moreno (So., Sevilla, Spain/IES V Centenario) won her first match in Tyler last year to pick up two valuable points. She said she saw how the top players played, including not just their skill but their passion. 

“It’s so fun,” she said. “You can make friends from other countries, other schools. I can see my friends from other schools, so that’s fun for me.”

For more information on MGCCC’s 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.