Pereyra captures singles title, Lady Tigers finish as national runner-up

Led by sophomore Serena Pereyra, who won a second singles title, the Cowley College women's tennis team finished as the national runner-up at the NJCAA Division 1 National Tennis Championships in Tyler, TX. Hillsborough (FL) Community College placed first with 52 team points, and the Lady Tigers (39 points) placed second one year after winning the program's first-ever national championship.

Pereyra, the national champion at No. 3 singles as a freshman, defeated Hillsborough's Catherine Goldman 6-1, 7-6 in the No. 1 singles title match. The victory was emotional for Pereyra, who said she won the match for her mother, who has battled health issues.

"I have been through a lot this year, but I wanted to leave Cowley at the top," Pereyra said. "I love Cowley, they are my extended family. This is also for my mother, I wanted this for her and my teammates."

Cowley nearly had another title as Lady Tiger freshman Cynthia Wanjala won the first set of her match at No. 3 singles before losing in three sets to Aisulu Zholbolat 6-3, 4-6, 3-6. Wanjala was up 3-1 in the third set before losing 6-3

Fellow freshman Naghely Garcia Galian also played well, advancing to the national title match at No. 4 singles before losing to Hillsborough's Noah Rojas 4-6, 2-6.

The duo of Wanjala and Garcia Galian then had an opportunity to play for a national championship at No. 3 doubles. The duo won the first set against Hillsborough's Johanna Marten and Noah Rojas 6-4, before dropping the final two sets 3-6, 3-6.

Cowley has now won a national championship and had two national runner-up finishes over the past three seasons, and has a chance to return everyone on the roster outside of Pereyra and Akari Tomoyose.

Results:

WOMEN

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Serena Pereyra/Kendra Arostegui (CC) defeated Pawarada Thaimuangphol/Pawarapa Thaimuangphol/ (USC-Sumter) 6-3, 6-0; lost to Maria Moskaltsova/Rima Yoshida (St. Petersburg) 3-6, 6-2, 3-6 in the quarterfinals.

*No. 2 – Akari Tomoyose/Chiho Takada (CC) received a bye; defeated Mary Catherine Cameron/Maeva Chambon (USC-Sumter) 6-2, 6-1; defeated Nikoletta Pytel/Marie-Alix Urcun (Collin) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; lost 6-4, 4-6, 2-6 to Yui Suzuki/Daniela Vivas Valencia (St. Petersburg) in the semifinals.

*No. 3 – Cynthia Wanjala/Naghely Garcia Galian (CC) received a bye; defeated Chloe Baines/Joslyn Newton (Wallace) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Allie Rawles/Mattie Sanders (NW Mississippi) 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Sara Valentina Ladino/Laura Yand (Eastern Florida) 7-6, 7-5 in the semifinals; lost to Johanna Marten/Noah Rojas (Hillsborough) 6-4, 3-6, 3-6 in the national title match.

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Pereyra (CC) received a bye; defeated Noelle D'Angelillo (Wallace) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Emma Petton (Seward) 6-0, 6-4 in the quarterfinals; defeated Cany Wei (Tyler) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in the semifinals; defeated Catherine Goldman (Hillsborough) 6-1, 7-6 in the national title match.

*No. 2 – Tomoyose (CC) received a bye; defeated Oriana Roldan (Bevill) 6-0, 6-0; won by default in the quarterfinals; lost to Sydney Stark (Hillsborough) 7-5, 5-7, 6-7 in the semifinals.

*No. 3 – Wanjala (CC) received a bye; defeated Rosalina Akombo (Meridian) 6-1, 6-0; defeated Jinsol Yang, 6-0, 6-4 (Collin) in the quarterfinals; defeated Maria Gento (E. Florida State College) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the semifinals; lost to Aisulu Zholbolat (Hillsborough) 6-3, 4-6, 3-6.

*No. 4 – Garcia-Galian (CC) received a bye; defeated Macie Curtis (Hinds) 6-1, 6-0; defeated Josefina Bailetti (Seward) 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; defeated Daniela Vivas Valencia (Collin) 6-4, 6-7, 6-2in the semifinals; lost to Noah Rojas 4-6, 2-6 (Hillsborough) in the national title match.

*No. 5 – Takada (CC) received a bye; defeated Elizabeth Shirley 6-0, 6-1 (Meridian); lost to Nikoletta Pytel (Collin) 3-6, 2-6 in the quarterfinals.

*No. 6 – Arostegui (CC) received a bye; defeated Gabriela Dabrowski (Moraine Valley) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Dasha Moskalenko (E. Florida State) 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; lost to Solomea Jasiczek (Hillsborough) 2-6, 3-6 in the semifinals.