Aztecs women's tennis season ends after second day of NJCAA Nationals
The Pima Community College women's tennis team finished competitive play in the NJCAA National Tournament on Monday at the Jim Reffkin Tennis Center.
The Aztecs fell in each singles and doubles match played in the round of 16 and finished the tournament with a team score of 18 points; which tied the program's record for points at the national tournament.
Stephanie Nickles (Ironwood Ridge HS) played two tough matches in singles and doubles. She won the first set in her No. 2 singles match against No. 8 ranked Natalie Hernandez from Broward College (FL) but dropped the final two sets, falling 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. Nickles and No. 3 doubles partner Jahnessa Mackey (Amphitheater HS) rallied from a 3-4 deficit to win the first set and held a 3-0 advantage in the second set but lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to Morgan Trask and Taylor Whitehead from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (GA). Mackey lost to No. 1 ranked Siuzanna Grigorian from ASA College (NY) 6-0, 6-0.
At No. 4 singles, Ema Hernandez (Sunnyside HS) took a 4-1 lead in the first set but lost to No. 8 ranked Desiree Curiel from Mesa Community College 6-4, 6-1. Yani Alameda (Pueblo HS) lost to No. 3 ranked Katie Delgado from Tyler Junior College (TX) 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. Alameda and Hernandez dropped their No. 2 doubles match against the No. 4 ranked team of Julianna Hess and Natalie Landa from Collin College (TX) 6-3, 6-3.
Cristina Oropeza (Nogales HS) dropped her No. 2 singles match against No. 5 ranked Miranda Talbert from the State College of Florida 6-2, 6-3 while Noelle Karp (Catalina Foothills HS) fell to No. 6 ranked Anna Buiukian from Cowley County Community College (KS) 6-1-6-1 at No. 1 singles. Karp and Oropeza were shutout in their No. 1 doubles match against No. 2 ranked Maria Coyos and Paula Lopez from Seward County Community College 6-0, 6-0.
Karp, a freshman, was awarded the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) Player To Watch Award for Region II (AZ, NM, TX, OK). She received the award at Monday's national tournament banquet.
The Aztecs won the Region I Team Championship while Oropeza and Alameda won the No. 2 and No. 3 singles flight championships respectively. Nickles and Mackey won the No. 3 doubles flight region championship. The Aztecs played with six players for the majority of the season and didn't have a default loss.
Karp, Hernandez, Nickles and Mackey will all return next season.
