Three Tiger tennis players to compete for a national championship

Heading into the final day of the NJCAA Division I National Tennis Tournament in Plano, TX, the Cowley College men's tennis team has three singles players that will have an opportunity to compete for individual national championships on Friday.

Sophomore Jack Clements (No. 1 singles) and freshmen Takeshi Taco (No. 2 singles) and Andoni Garmendia (No. 5 singles) each won semifinal matches on Thursday and will vie for singles titles on Friday.

"Jack, Takeshi, and Andoni get to compete for a national championship and will be ready to play as hard as they ever have," Cowley head coach Manuel Raga said.

Cowley's No. 1 doubles team of Clements and Taco also remained unbeaten at the national tournament and will resume play on Friday.

The Tigers moved into third place at the national tournament with 35 points. Cowley trails only second place Seward County (37 points) and tournament leader Tyler Junior College (44 points) in the standings.

Cowley results:

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Jack Clements (CC) defeated Austreberto Carlon (Mesa) 6-2, 6-3; Clements (Cowley) defeated Chris Lawrence (East Central) 6-3, 6-2; Clements (Cowley) defeated Rafal Bednarczuk (Collin) 6-4,6-3.

*No. 2 – Takeshi Taco (CC) defeated Pablo Lopez Real (Harford) 6-4, 6-0; Taco (Cowley) defeated Killian Savary (Seward)  6-1, 6-1; Taco (Cowley) defeated Dario Kmet (Eastern Florida) 6-3,6-2.

*No. 3 – Aymeric Bruno (CC) lost to Eduardo Morais (Barton) 3-6, 6-7(4).

*No. 4 – Alejandro Orihuela (CC) defeated Clay Fudge (Mississippi Gulf Coast) 6-1, 6-4;  Orihuela (Cowley) defeated Muntingh Hamman (Jacksonville) 6-1, 6-4; Orihuela (Cowley) lost to Juan Gonzalez (Seward) 6-7(4),6-2,1-6.

*No. 5 – Andoni Garmendia (CC) defeated Russell Moorman (Itawamba) 6-0, 6-0;  Garmendia (Cowley) defeated Tiago Marquez (ABAC) 6-7(4),6-2,6-0; Garmendia (Cowley) defeated Jeff Guerrero (Tyler) 6-4,6-2.

*No. 6 – Javier Pla (CC) defeated Leonel Caspe (Barton) 6-2, 6-0; Pla (Cowley) defeated Jaewoo Choi (Eastern Florida) 5-7,6-0,7-5; lost to Enzo Frequelin (Seward) 5-7,3-6.

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Clements & Taco (Cowley) defeated Smith & Tanjuatco (Marion Military) 6-0,6-2; Clements & Taco (Cowley) defeated Zobel & Bednarczuk (Collin) 6-3, 6-2; Clements & Taco (Cowley) defeated Centeno & Fisicaro (Seward) 6-3,6-1.

*No. 2 – Orihuela & Bruno (Cowley) lost to Kalaba & Kaoma (Barton) 6-4,7-5.

*No. 3 – Castillo & Garmendia (Cowley) defeated Rasberry & Clyde (Copiah) 6-0,6-0; Castillo & Garmendia (Cowley) defeated Stuart & Outor (ABAC) 6-2,6-1; Garmendia & Castillo (Cowley) lost to Reche & Viera (Eastern Florida) 1-6,3-6.