Tigers advance three to the finals; doubles play to resume Friday
Forced to play indoors due to rain, the Cowley College men's tennis team advanced three singles players to the finals of the national tournament. Thursday's semifinal action of the NJCAA Division I National Championships was played at the McKinney Tennis Center indoor courts in McKinney, TX.
Doubles action was suspended, with semifinal and finals action set to resume on Friday.
Playing indoors made for a fun environment for the players as each player's teammates made tons of noise to help create an atmosphere worthy of a national tournament.
Tiger sophomore Reiya Komagata, the defending national champion at No. 5 singles, advanced to the finals with a 6-1, 7-6(3) win over Tyler's Samer Al Tori at No. 2 singles.
Bruno Nhavene, the defending national champion at No. 2 singles, had his chance to be a two-time singles champion come to an end with a 2-6, 2-6 loss to Tyler Junior College's Juan Carlos Garcia.
Fellow sophomore Sergio Alejandro Gonzalez won an exciting three-set tiebreak against Collin College's Enrique Doidan Sisa at No. 6 singles.
Freshman Tadeo Gaggiofotto advanced to the finals at No. 5 singles with a straight-set victory over Eastern Florida State's Jett Leong, while Cowley's other singles players, Omar Suarez and Pedro de la Riva battled hard before dropping their semifinal matches.
The defending national champion Tiger tennis team remains in the hunt for another title when they return to action Friday in the finals of the national championship.
The main draw singles finals will be played at 8 a.m. Main draw doubles semifinals will be played at 11 a.m. and main draw doubles finals will be played at 2 p.m.
DOUBLES
*No. 1 – Bruno Nhavene/Reiya Komagata (CC) defeated Gonzalo Cotter/Vicente Faria (Mississippi Gulf Coast) 6-2, 6-1 in the second round; won by injury default over Alexi Khamrotau/Simeon Latinchev (Pratt) in the quarterfinals.
*No. 2 – Valentin Greco/Pedro de la Riva (CC) defeated Edoardo Brustia/Franco Vedda (Jacksonville) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the second round; defeated Guy Dagan/Seth Seeley (Collin), 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
*No. 3 – Omar Suarez/Sergio Alejandro Gonzalez (CC) defeated Aaron Gerald/Martin Puetate (Harford) 6-1, 6-2 in the second round; defeated Tadeo Missan/Mariano Orsini Rodriguez (Iowa Central) in the quarterfinals.
SINGLES
*No. 1 – Nhavene (CC) defeated Hod'Abalo Isak Padio (Iowa Central) 6-3, 7-6(2) in the second round; defeated Minjae Kim (Collin) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; lost to Juan Carlos Garcia (Tyler) 2-6, 2-6 in the semifinals.
*No. 2 – Komagata (CC) defeated Charlie Brady (Jones College) 6-2, 6-0 in the second round; won by injury default over Simeon Latinchev (Pratt) in the quarterfinals; defeated Samer Al Tori (Tyler) 6-1, 7-6(3) in the semifinals.
*No. 3 – Suarez (CC) defeated Francisco Miguel (Copiah-Lincoln) 6-0, 6-2 in the second round; defeated Nick Devivo (Eastern Florida State) 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; lost to Nick Devivo (Eastern Florida State) 4-6, 2-6 in the semifinals.
*No. 4 – De la Riva (CC) defeated Jack Morris (Coastal Alabama) 6-0, 6-1 in the second round; defeated Jose Castillo (Collin) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; lost to Dan Persson (Tyler) 3-6, 3-6 in the semifinals.
*No. 5 – Tadeo Gaggiofatto (CC) defeated Kyle Goodman (College of Lake County) 6-2, 6-0 in the second round; defeated Ognjen Gajic (Seward) 6-0, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Jett Leong (Eastern Florida State) 7-6(4), 6-2 in the semifinals.
*No. 6 – Alejandro Gonzalez (CC) defeated Alex Holder (Jones College) 6-2, 6-2 in the second round; defeated Benjamin Ranby (ABAC) 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals; Defeated Enrique Doidan Sisa (Collin) 6-0, 4-6, 1-0(8) in the semifinals.