They did it! Lady Tiger tennis captures first national championship

With four singles national champions and two doubles champs, the Cowley College women's tennis team placed first at the NJCAA Division I National Championships held May 4-8 at the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center in Tyler, TX. The title was the first in the history of the program.

Entering the final day of the tournament with a two-point advantage over the defending national champion Hillsborough Community College, the Lady Tigers won five of six final matches against the Hawks to claim the national championship. Hillsborough would finish second and Tyler Junior College placed third.

Arianna Raga, who was a former player at Cowley and an assistant coach to her brother Manuel Raga when Cowley finished as the national runner-up a season ago, was grateful for the opportunity to lead this amazing group of young ladies.

"We have been so close the last couple of years, and it was always my goal to win nationals as a player and to come back one day and help the team win it all," Raga said. "The girls gave everything they had today and are always willing to do whatever it takes."

After finishing as the national runner-up as a team a season ago, returning sophomores Arina Babenko and Mariana Jimenez were crucial to the Lady Tigers getting the job done in 2024.

"Those two provided guidance to the younger players and were a huge help to the team," Raga said.

Babenko repeated as the national champion at No. 2 singles and teamed with Yerkezhan Arystanbekova to finish as the national runner-up at No. 1 doubles, while Jimenez lost a hard-fought match in the finals of No. 6 singles before bouncing back to team with Serena Pereyra to win the finals of No. 3 doubles.

"Arina always performs well in the clutch," Raga said. "I am so happy for Arina to win back-to-back singles titles and for Marianna to win the doubles title with Serena."

Lady Tiger freshmen Yerkezhan Arystanbekova, Serena Pereyra and Akari Tomoyose captured titles at No. 1, 3, and 4 singles and did not drop a set en route to their singles titles.

"They are all so talented, and we are fortunate to have them at Cowley," Raga said.

Also new to Cowley this season was Lady Tiger assistant coach Brady Matthews, who, along with Raga, was integral in leading the team throughout the season.

Cowley had already sowed up the team title before doubles play even started. However, the Lady Tigers captured doubles titles from all three doubles teams.

Cowley captured doubles titles from its No. 2 doubles tandem of Roselida Asumwa and Akari Tomoyose, as well as its No. 3 doubles team of Mariana Jimenez and Serena Pereyra.  

With six of Cowley's eight players being freshmen, the Lady Tigers should enter next season ranked No. 1 with a chance to repeat as national champs.

Results:

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Arina Babenko/Yerkezhan Arystanbekova (CC) defeated Angela Morano/Danique Vermue (Mississippi Gulf Coast) 6-1, 6-2 in the second round; defeated Victoria Conde Vendrell/Kitti Nemeth (ABAC) 6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Isabela Mercante/Rima Yoshida (St. Petersburg) 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals; lost to Natalia Michta/Candy Wai (Tyler) 6-7(2), 6-3, 1-6 in the finals.

*No. 2 – Roselida Asumwa/Akari Tomoyose (CC) defeated Adriana Iturraide/Ozi Oiza Yakuba (Jacksonville College) 7-5, 6-1; win by injury withdrawal over Sanja Djundjevic/Tsitsi Claire Mahere (Weatherford) in the quarterfinals; defeated Amelia Devlin/Zsi Spyrou (Tyler) 6-4, 6-7(3), 7-6(6); defeated Dudova/Schoormans (Hillsborough) 6-3, 7-5 in the finals.

*No. 3 – Mariana Jimenez/Serena Pereyra (CC) defeated Annalyn Housley/Maggie Savell (Jones College) 6-2, 6-1 in the second round; defeated Italia Jones/Anne Van Binsberger (Wallace State) 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Stephanie Gopar/Beyra Yaniklar (Tyler) 7-5, 6-0 in the semifinals; defeated Goldman/Greatorex (Hillsborough) 6-2, 6-1 in the finals.

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Arystanbekova (CC) defeated Noelle D'Angellio (Wallace State) 6-0, 6-0 in the second round; defeated Randy Rakotoarilala (Meridian) 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Luciana Braga (Barton) 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals; defeated Catherine Goldman (Hillsborough) 7-5, 6-1 in the finals.

*No. 2 – Babenko (CC) defeated Mikayla Pitt (Collin) 6-2, 6-2 in the second round; defeated Victoria Conde Vendrell (ABAC) 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; defeated Rima Yoshida (St. Petersburg) 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinal; defeated Candy Wai (Tyler) 7-5, 6-1 in the finals.

*No. 3 – Pereyra (CC) defeated Alexandra Luders (Wallace State) 6-2, 6-1 in the second round; defeated Daniela Tovar (Jones College) 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Alessia Clampi (St. Petersburg) 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals; defeated Rocio Martinez (Hillsborough) 6-3, 6-2 in the finals.

*No. 4 – Tomoyose (CC) defeated Tsitsi Claira Mathere (Weatherford) 6-2, 6-2 in the second round; defeated Carmen Lyons (Barton) 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; defeated Amelia Devlin (Tyler) 7-6(3), 6-1 in the semifinals; defeated Yoana Duduva (Hillsborough) 6-1, 6-2 in the finals.

*No. 5 – Zuzanna Witkowska (CC) defeated Alyssa Glasgow (Collin) 6-0, 6-0 in the second round; defeated Lena Spears (Coastal Alabama) 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; lost to Beyza Yaniklar (Tyler) 3-6, 4-6 in the semifinals.

*No. 6  Jimenez (CC) defeated Journey Barajas (Mesa) 6-0, 6-0 in the second round; defeated Lindsay Johnson (Sauk Valley) 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Stephanie Gopar (Tyler) 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinals; lost to Adeola Greatorex (Hillsborough) 2-6, 6-7(4).