Cowley women’s tennis team finishes as the national runner-up for the second straight season
Advancing four singles players and a doubles team to the finals of the NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Tennis National Championships, the Cowley College women’s tennis team ran into a buzzsaw as Hillsborough College (FL) claimed each of the singles and doubles titles to win back-to-back national titles. The tournament was held at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter, SC.
Hillsborough (45 points) has won the tournament three of the last four years. Cowley placed second with 32 points, while Collin (23 points), St. Petersburg (20.5 points), and Barton (19 points) rounded out the top five.
The Tigers have finished as the national runner-up three of the past four seasons and won the national title in 2024.
Cowley will say goodbye to five sophomores who helped the Lady Tigers continue their dominance in the region and perform well on the national stage. Sophomores are Kendra Arostegui, Naghely Garcia Galian, Sofia Karlau, Chiho Takada, and Cynthia Wanjala.
Freshman Lisa Takamura, who finished as the national runner-up at No. 5 singles and teamed with Takada to advance to the semifinals of No. 3 doubles, highlights the list of potential returners for Cowley.
Results:
DOUBLES
*No. 1 – Naghely Garcia Galian/Cynthia Wanjala (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Sandra Rodriguez/Ilse Smaalders (Pratt) 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals; defeated Daniela Garcia/Daniela Vivas Valencia (St. Petersburg) 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals; lost by forfeit in the finals to Sydney Stark/Younso Cho (Hillsborough).
*No. 2 – Sofia Karlau/Nathanielle Lee (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Mii Naito/Nao Watanabe (Collin) 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; lost to Noah Rojas/Aisulu Zholbolat (Hillsborough) 2-6, 2-6 in the semifinals.
*No. 3 – Chiho Takada/Lisa Takamura (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Juliana Jurado/Rosmary Pena (Weatherford) 7-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals; lost to Salomea Jasiczek/Emily Lederer (Hillsborough) 0-6, 6-3, 3-6 in the semifinals.
SINGLES
*No. 1 – Sofia Karlau (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Mishel Lobotenko (Seward) 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; lost to Younsoo Cho (Hillsborough) 2-6, 3-6 in the semifinals.
*No. 2 – Cynthia Wanjala (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Valeria Cabrera (Weatherford) 6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Daniela Garcia (St. Petersburg) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the semifinals; lost to Salomea Jasiczek (Hillsborough) 5-7, 2-4 when retired in the finals.
*No. 3 – Nghely Garcia Galian (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Ilse Smaalders (Pratt) 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; lost to Sydney Stark (Hillsborough) 2-6, 0-6 in the semifinals.
*No. 4 – Chiho Takada (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Anna Schmidt (St. Petersburg) 6-0, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; defeated Nao Watanabe (Collin) 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals; lost to Noah Rojas (Hillsborough) 1-6, 1-6 in the finals.
*No. 5 – Lisa Takamura (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Dana Espinoza (USC-Sumter) 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; defeated Sylvie Peart (Tyler) 7-6, 1-6, 6-1 in the semifinals; lost to Aisulu Zholbolat (Hillsborough) 2-6, 3-6 in the finals.
*No. 6 – Kendra Arostegui (CC) received a bye in the first round; defeated Alyse Zimmerman (Pratt) 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Idom Cho (Tyler) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals; lost to Emily Lederer (Hillsborough) 1-6, 3-6 in the finals.