Friday, 02/26/2010

The Pearl River Wildcats Tennis Team opened their 2010 season with a win over the East Central Community College Warriors on Monday, February 22, in Poplarville.

The Wildcats got off to a strong start, taking the number one and two doubles matches.  Freshman Blake Johnson of Lumberton, Mississippi, paired up with sophomore Steven Bracey of Columbia, Mississippi for the number one spot, defeating East Central's Colton Amis and Jason Hancock 8-4.  At the number two position, freshman Jordan Henry of Petal, Mississippi, and Darnelle Sanford of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, defeated Will Marston and Richie Ferguson of East Central 8-4.  In his freshman year of competition, Dustin Slade of Waveland, Mississippi, partnered up with sophomore Roy Odom of Gautier, Mississippi at the number three doubles spot.  A close match, the team was unable to clinch the win, falling to East Central's Matt Griffin and Zac White in a tiebreaker 8-9(6).

In singles action, the Wildcats collected four more victories to claim the win.  Bracey defeated Marston at the number two position, 6-3, 6-2.  Henry defeated White at the number three position, 6-4, 6-3.  Sanford defeated Hancock at the number four position, 4-6, 6-2, (10-3).  Slade defeated Griffin at the number six position 7-6(5), 6-4.  The remaining two matches came down to tiebreak losses.  Johnson fell at the number one position to Amis, 2-6, 6-2, (10-7), and Odom was defeated at the number five position by Smith, 6-4, 3-6, (10-7).

The Pearl River Wildcats took the win for the day, 6-3 over the East Central Warriors.

The match originally scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, with Hinds Community College has been canceled and will be rescheduled at a later date.  The Pearl River Wildcats will be back in action this Saturday in Poplarville when they take on the Holmes Community College Bulldogs at 12:00 p.m.