Bradenton, Fla - After a hard fought moment, the #6 SCF tennis team will be setting their sights on their next milestone. The Manatees will travel 2,082 mile to the west as they head to Tucson, Arizona for the five-day NJCAA National Women's Tennis Championship at the Reffkin Tennis Center. Matches begin from May 7-11.
Last Time Out:
The Manatees are coming off of automatically qualifying for nationals after finishing third in the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 State Tournament in Almonte Springs. They would finish behind runner-up #3 St. Pete and the champions #2 Hillsborough. It would be the backdraw wins in singles competition that would help the Manatees get the automatic qualifier.
In singles play, freshman Sakurako Suzuki leads the way for the Manatees. Suzuki, who joined the Manatees in the spring, is currently ranked #38 in the nation while currently going 10-4 overall at the #5 singles spot. At the FCSAA State Tournament, she was the lone player that won all of her matches at the #5 singles spot and became the #5 flight singles champion. Additonally, Suzuki was named this years SCF Female Athlete of the Year.
Sophomore Lou De Freitas Bonet is 8-6 at the #2 singles spot, while being ranked #23 in the nation and #5 in the state
In doubles, Suzuki and De Freitas Bonet are ranked #12 in the nation and are currently are 11-3 at the #2 spot. They finished runner-up at the #2 doubles championship after losing to HCC.
Sophomore Kia Carvalho-Landell, who is ranked #6 in the state and #45 in the nation, follows behind Suzuki in singles as she is currently 9-4 at the #3 singles spot. She finished third at the #3 singles championship after defeating freshman Helena Jokanovic (Eastern Florida State) 8-2.
In doubles play, Carvalho-Landell is also ranked #18 in the nation with fellow classmate Carlota Gascon Martinez as they are 7-7 at the #1 doubles spot. Gascon Martinez is currently ranked #33 in the nation despite going 4-9 at the #1 singles spot.
Moving On:
Three of the sophomores have already signed and committed to the next level in their collegiate tennis careers.
Carvalho-Landell will continue her path at Holy Cross College (NAIA) in Notre Dame, Indiana (suburb of South Bend, Indiana) with up to three years of eligibility remaining. The Saints finished their season at 8-14 overall with a 3-3 record in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Confernce (CCAC) before falling in the semifinals of the CCAC Tournament.
Gascon Martinez will be transferring to Blue Mountain College (NAIA) with two years of eligibility remaining. The Toppers finished their current season 5-6 overall with a 3-3 record in the Southern State Athletic Conference (SSAC) where they fell in the opening round of the SSAC Tournament.
Sophomore Luna Mouton, who primarily played doubles with classmate Sarah Forsyth, will continue her collegiate tennis career at the University of West Georgia (NCAA DII) with up to three years of eligibility remaining. She is currently 8-4 in doubles play with Forsyth at #3 doubles. Additionally, Mouton will join and reunite with former Manatee Karla Menendez. The Wolves finished their season 5-12 overall with a 1-9 record in the Gulf South Conference.
Teams Entered and Qualified:
Aside from SCF, 28 teams have qualified for the tournament -
#1 Tyler JC (Region 14)**
#2 HCC (Region 8)
#3 SPC (Region 8)
#4 Seward County CC (Region 6)
#5 Cowley College (Region 6)
#6 SCF (Region 8)
#7 Weatherford (Region 5)
#8 Collin CC (Region 5)
#10 Abraham Baldwin (Region 17)
#11 Barton CC (Region 6)
#12 Jones College (Region 23)
#13 Iowa Central (Region 11)
#14 Wallace CC (Region 22)
#15 Lewis and Clark CC (Region 24)
#16 Meridian CC (Region 23)*
#17 Mississippi Gulf Coast (Region 23)
#18 Central Alabama (Region 22)
#19 Hinds CC (Region 23)
#20 Eastern Arizona (Region 1)
#22 Coastal Alabama (Region 22)
#25 Mesa College (Region 1)
Paradise Valley (Region 1)
College of Lake County (Region 4)
Sauk Valley CC (Region 4)
New Mexico Military (Region 5)
Southwest Virginia (Region 10)
USC Sumpter (Region 10)
Mercer County CC (Region 19)
*At-Large
** Defending Champions
***Host
Tyler Junior College are the reigning and defending champions and ranked #1 in the nation. They finished their regular season 11-4 overall.
Opening Match Draws:
De Freitas Bonet, Carvalho-Landell, Suzuki and Bustamante all earned a first round bye for singles play and will play their first matches on May 8. In doubles, all three doubles teams have earned a first round bye and will play on May 8.
Singles -
Flight 1 - #33 Gascon Martinez vs Eni Anic (Hinds CC) @ 10:30 am EST/7:30 am PST May 7
Flight 2 - #23 De Freitas (#6 seed) vs Emma Semery (Iowa Central CC) or Haley Quick (Lake County CC) 12:30 pm EST/9:30 am PST May 8
Flight 3 - #45 Carvalho-Landell (#5 seed) vs Mimi Li (Collin CC) or Jane League (Central Alabama) @ 12 pm EST/9 am PST May 8
Flight 4 - Forsyth vs Taji Williams (Coastal Alabama) @ 1:30 pm EST/11:30 am PST May 7
Flight 5 - #38 Suzuki (#2 seed) vs Lex Sneek (Sauk Valley CC) or Morgan Ross (Hinds CC) @ 1:30 pm EST/11:30 am PST May 8
Flight 6 - Bustamante (#7 seed) vs Kylie Williams (Mesa CC) or Anna Woods (Central Alabama CC) @ 3:30 pm EST/12:30 pm PST May 8
Doubles -
Flight 1 - Carvalho-Landell/Gascon Martinez (#5 seed) vs Mimi Li/Larissa Correa (Collin CC) or Mia Hoddinghaus/Sarah Powell (Jones College) @ 5:30 pm EST/2:30 pm PST May 8
Flight 2 - Suzuki/De Freitas Bonet (#2 seed) vs Isabella Warham/Sarah Cline (Meridian CC) or Breanna Vann/Natalia Barron (Wallace State CC) @ 5 pm EST/2 pm PST May 8
Flight 3 - Forsyth/Mouton (#6 seed) vs Taji Williams/Emma Spears (Coastal Alabama) or Sophie Endt/Alexandra Johnson (Jones College) @ 6 pm EST/3 pm PST May 8.
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