HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College’s women’s tennis team finished 9th in the nation after competing at the 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Women’s National Tournament recently in Tyler, Texas, and the men finished 16th at the 2024 NJCAA Men’s National Tournament in Plano, Texas.
The women’s No. 9 finish is the first time the Lady Lions have made a top 10 finish in in NJCAA Division I.
“This was an amazing year for the women’s team,” said coach Tim Garner, who leads both the men’s and women’s teams. “They dominated the conference for the second year in a row. After finishing 12th in the 2022-2023 season, they were even more dedicated this season, with a best 20-win regular season and the first NJCAA Top 10 DI finish in Wallace State history.”
The men’s team won their sixth straight conference title, but fell a little short at the nationals, which may be the incentive they need for next year.
“With 10 freshmen and a disappointing run at nationals, I believe they will come back stronger and hungrier than ever to make another top 10 run at nationals in the spring of 2025,” Garner said.
Women’s Tennis at NJCAA National Tournament
In singles play, freshman Noelle D’Angelillo Orlando, Fla., won her first match in flight 1 at 6-0, 6-0 before falling by the same score in the next match-up.
In singles flight 2, sophomore Italia Jones of Denton, Texas fell 2-6, 1-6, but bounced back in the consolation rounds, winning her next four matches 8-3, 8-0, 8-3 and 8-3 and winning the consolation bracket.
In singles flight 3, sophomore Lexi Luders of Traralgon South, Victoria, Australia defeated her first competitor 6-2, 6-2 before falling in the next round 2-6, 1-6.
Sophomore Lilly Brown of Guntersville won her first match 6-2, 6-2, in singles flight 4 before losing in the next round 3-6, 1-6.
Sophomore Natalia Vergara of Bogota, Colombia, after a bye, took the first win 6-0, 6-2 in singles flight 5 before falling in the quarterfinals 1-6, 1-6.
Freshman Anne Van Binsenbergen of Rotterdam, Netherlands, fell in her first match 1-6, 1-6 in flight 6 and then lost 2-8 in consolation bracket.
In doubles play, Brown and Luders lost their first match-up 3-6, 3-6 in flight 1. They bounced back in the consolation rounds, winning the quarterfinals round 8-2 and the semifinals 9-8 before dropping the match in the final round 2-8.
D’Angelillo and Vegara got a walkover in doubles flight No. 2. They fell 0-6, 2-6 in the next round.
Jones and Binsenbergen, after a bye they defeated their second-round opponents in doubles flight 3 6-3, 6-4 before falling in the quarterfinals 0-6, 0-6.
Men’s Tennis at NJCAA National Tournament
In singles play flight 1, Eduardo Vargos of Sao Paulo, Brazil lost his first patch 0-6, 1-6 before falling in the consolation round 3-8.
In singles flight 2, Ferran Bonastre of Valencia, Spain lost 4-6, 3-6 in the first round before falling 5-8 in the consolation quarterfinal.
In singles flight 3, Jose Munoz of Santo Domingo, Ecuador won his first match 3-6, 7-6, 6-1 before falling in the next round 3-6, 1-6.
In singles flight 4, Jace Moody of Lake Charles, La., won his first match 6-0, 6-3 before falling 4-6, 1-6.
In singles flight 5, Pablo Ruben of Sante Fe, Argentina, won his first match 7-5, 6-0 before falling 1-6, 6-7.
In singles flight 6, Brett Foster of Layfatte, La., won his first match 6-0, 6-1 before falling 4-6, 1-6.
In men’s doubles flight 1, Moody and Munoz lost their first math 4-6, 3-6, and lost the consolation round 5-8.
In men’s doubles flight 2, Bonastre and Ruben won their first match 6-4, 6-2 before falling 2-6, 4-6 in the next round. In men’s doubles flight 3, Juan Amor of Ses Salines, Spain and Foster, lost their first match 1-6, 2-6, but kept moving up to win the final of the consolation round bracket. The pair won four rounds 8-3, 8-3, 8-2 and the hard-fought 9-7 to win the consolation bracket.
