Region VI Women's Tennis Tournament Central
The Seward County Lady Saints will hit Riverside Tennis Center in Wichita this weekend for the Region VI Tournament, looking to return to the NJCAA National Tournament after a brief one year hiatus. The Lady Saints chances look strong to be one of the three teams to qualify for the Big Dance.
Paula Lopez draws the top overall seed for the tournament in #1 singles. Lopez is ranked #4 in the country currently and has posted an impressive 11-2 record at the #1 singles spot, with her only two losses of the year coming to the 2nd ranked player in the country. She will play the winner of the first match of the tournament, a play in battle between Johnson County's Jasmine El Gahzi and Hesston's Samantha Aeschliman, two players that she did not lose a single game to during the regular season. Lopez's biggest competition will come from Cowley's Ana Ruzir who is ranked 5th in the country and took Lopez to a third set tiebreak in early April.
Paula Coyos will be the Lady Saints representative at #2 singles. Coyos is ranked 16th nationally, the highest #2 player ranking in Seward County history. Coyos is 10-3 on the year at #2 singles and is the top seeded player for the #2 bracket at the Region VI Tournament. She will see her first action against either Johnson County's Jessi Holman or Hesston's Brett Fair, a pair that was 0-2 against the Lady Saints this season. Cowley's Sarah Giraldo looks to be on a collision course with Coyos for the finals, Giraldo is ranked 34th nationally.
Seward will send their lone sophomore, Kathryn Roohan to the court in #3 singles. Roohan drew the tough assignment of moving up from #5 last year to #3 this year and has fared alright, posting a 5-9 record in 14 matches. Roohan will be the #2 seed in the bracket, taking on Omelia Thomas from Barton in the first round Friday. Roohan and Thomas played a marathon in their only meeting of the year with Roohan coming out on top 12-10 in a third set tiebreak.
The Lady Saints Jackie Arnold will be Seward's representative at #4 singles. Arnold is 3-7 on the year and will be the #3 seed in the bracket. Arnold will face a tough task in the opening round of the tournament as she takes on Sydney Shields of Johnson County. Shields won the regular season matchup between the two 6-4, 6-2.
Arguably the Lady Saints most improved player this season, Naomie Bukassa, will suit up for Seward in #5 singles. Bukassa is 3-9 on the year at #5 and will go into the Region VI Tournament as the #5 seed in the bracket. She will draw Courtney Irwin from Barton in the opening round play in match, a player in which she defeated 6-4, 6-2 in their mid-March meeting. If she can get by Irwin, Bukassa will take on the top seed, Erianna Adams from Cowley in the semifinals.
Grace Golden fills out the Seward singles roster for the tournament where she will play at #6. Golden is the 3rd seeded player in the #6 singles bracket after a 4-6 regular season at that spot. Golden will square off against Sarah Ong from Johnson County in the first round for the first time this season. Ong defeated Bukassa at #5 singles during the two teams regular season matchup.
Lopez and Coyos will team up in the #1 doubles bracket for Seward. The pair will be heavy favorites to claim the region title as they come into the tournament as the only ranked #1 doubles team and with a 12-2 record on the season. As the top seed in the bracket, Lopez and Coyos await the winner of the Johnson County vs. Hesston first round matchup, two teams that they had little trouble with during the regular season, winning 8-2 and 8-3. If they reach the finals, they would either play for the title against Cowley or Barton, two more teams that offered little resistance against them during the regular season.
After playing to a 5-5 record together during the regular season, Roohan and Arnold will team up at #2 doubles for Seward. The pair drew the #3 seed in the bracket and will battle Johnson County in the opening round. It will be a tough matchup for Roohan and Arnold after falling to the Cavalier duo 8-4 just two weeks ago. If they were able to pull the upset there, they would likely see the #19 ranked pair from Cowley in the finals.
Bukassa and Golden will finish the season as the Lady Saints showing at #3 doubles. The duo was 4-6 together during the regular season and will be the #3 seed for the tournament. Their first round tussle will come against a Johnson County team in which they battled to an 8-6 defeat during the regular season. Cowley draws the top seed for the #3 doubles bracket and would likely be the Lady Saints opponents if they were to defeat Johnson County.
Play will kick off at 9:30 AM on Friday at Riverside Tennis Center in Wichita with the finals slated for 9:00 on Saturday morning.
#1 Singles
Fri. 12:00 PM- (4) Paula Lopez (SC) def. Jasmine El Gahzi (JC) Default
Sat. 9:00 AM Championship Match- (5) Ana Ruzir (Co) def. (4) Paula Lopez (SC) 7-6 (5), 6-3
*Paula Lopez finishes 2nd
#2 Singles
Fri. 12:00 PM- (16) Paula Coyos (SC) def. Jessi Holman (JC) Default
Sat. 9:00 AM Championship Match- (16) Paula Coyos (SC) def. (34) Sarah Giraldo (Co) 6-0, 6-3
*Paula Coyos wins Women's #2 singles Region VI Championship
#3 Singles
Fri. 10:45 AM- Omelia Thomas (Ba) def. Kathryn Roohan (SC) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Sat. 10:30 AM Third Place Match- Kathryn Roohan (SC) def. Kara Hoegerl (JC) 6-2, 6-4
*Kathryn Roohan finishes 3rd
#4 Singles
Fri. 10:45 AM- Sydney Shields (JC) def. Jackie Arnold (SC) 6-0, 6-0
Sat. 10:30 AM Third Place Match- Jackie Arnold (SC) def. Kelly Brauer (Ba) 6-3, 6-4
*Jackie Arnold finishes 3rd
#5 Singles
Fri. 10:00 AM- Naomie Bukassa (SC) def. Courtney Irwin (Ba) 6-1, 6-2
Fri. 12:00 PM- Erianna Adams (Co) def. Naomie Bukassa (SC) 6-1, 6-0
Sat. 10:30 AM Third Place Match- Narumi Hayano (He) def. Naomie Bukassa (SC) 6-1, 6-4
*Naomie Bukassa finishes 4th
#6 Singles
Fri. 10:30 AM- Sarah Ong (JC) def. Grace Golden (SC) 6-2, 6-2
Sat. 10:30 AM Third Place Match- Grace Golden (SC) def. Brittanie Eskut (Ba) 6-2, 7-5
*Grace Golden finishes 3rd
#1 Doubles
Fri. 4:00 PM- (6) Lopez/Coyos (SC) def. Aeschliman/Mitchell (He) 6-0, 6-1
Sat. 1:00 PM Championship Match- (6) Lopez/Coyos (SC) def. Brown/Schoepflin (Co) 6-3, 6-2
*Coyos/Lopez win Women's #1 doubles Region VI Championship
#2 Doubles
Fri. 2:30 PM- Shields/Gordon (JC) def. Arnold/Roohan (SC) 6-0, 6-4
Sat. 1:00 PM Third Place Match- Codognotto/Brauer (Ba) def. Arnold/Roohan (SC) 7-6, 6-4
*Arnold/Roohan finish 4th
#3 Doubles
Fri. 2:30 PM- Hoegerl/Jorgenson (JC) def. Bukassa/Golden (SC) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
Sat. 1:00 PM Third Place Match- Bukassa/Golden (SC)def. Irwin/Eskut (Ba) 6-2, 6-1
*Bukassa/Golden finish 3rd
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Cowley 25
2. Seward County 16
3. Johnson County 13
4. Barton 11
5. Hesston 2.5