Pereyra captures singles title, Lady Tigers finish as national runner-up

Hillsborough (FL) Community College placed first with 52 team points, and the Lady Tigers (39 points) placed second one year after winning the program's first-ever national championship.

Pereyra, the national champion at No. 3 singles as a freshman, defeated Hillsborough's Catherine Goldman 6-1, 7-6 in the No. 1 singles title match. The victory was emotional for Pereyra, who said she won the match for her mother, who has battled health issues.

"I have been through a lot this year, but I wanted to leave Cowley at the top," Pereyra said. "I love Cowley, they are my extended family. This is also for my mother, I wanted this for her and my teammates."

Cowley nearly had another title as Lady Tiger freshman Cynthia Wanjala won the first set of her match at No. 3 singles before losing in three sets to Aisulu Zholbolat 6-3, 4-6, 3-6. Wanjala was up 3-1 in the third set before losing 6-3

Fellow freshman Naghely Garcia Galian also played well, advancing to the national title match at No. 4 singles before losing to Hillsborough's Noah Rojas 4-6, 2-6.

The duo of Wanjala and Garcia Galian then had an opportunity to play for a national championship at No. 3 doubles. The duo won the first set against Hillsborough's Johanna Marten and Noah Rojas 6-4, before dropping the final two sets 3-6, 3-6.

Cowley has now won a national championship and had two national runner-up finishes over the past three seasons, and has a chance to return everyone on the roster outside of Pereyra and Akari Tomoyose.

Results:

WOMEN

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Serena Pereyra/Kendra Arostegui (CC) defeated Pawarada Thaimuangphol/Pawarapa Thaimuangphol/ (USC-Sumter) 6-3, 6-0; lost to Maria Moskaltsova/Rima Yoshida (St. Petersburg) 3-6, 6-2, 3-6 in the quarterfinals.

*No. 2 – Akari Tomoyose/Chiho Takada (CC) received a bye; defeated Mary Catherine Cameron/Maeva Chambon (USC-Sumter) 6-2, 6-1; defeated Nikoletta Pytel/Marie-Alix Urcun (Collin) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; lost 6-4, 4-6, 2-6 to Yui Suzuki/Daniela Vivas Valencia (St. Petersburg) in the semifinals.

*No. 3 – Cynthia Wanjala/Naghely Garcia Galian (CC) received a bye; defeated Chloe Baines/Joslyn Newton (Wallace) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Allie Rawles/Mattie Sanders (NW Mississippi) 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Sara Valentina Ladino/Laura Yand (Eastern Florida) 7-6, 7-5 in the semifinals; lost to Johanna Marten/Noah Rojas (Hillsborough) 6-4, 3-6, 3-6 in the national title match.

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Pereyra (CC) received a bye; defeated Noelle D'Angelillo (Wallace) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Emma Petton (Seward) 6-0, 6-4 in the quarterfinals; defeated Cany Wei (Tyler) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in the semifinals; defeated Catherine Goldman (Hillsborough) 6-1, 7-6 in the national title match.

*No. 2 – Tomoyose (CC) received a bye; defeated Oriana Roldan (Bevill) 6-0, 6-0; won by default in the quarterfinals; lost to Sydney Stark (Hillsborough) 7-5, 5-7, 6-7 in the semifinals.

*No. 3 – Wanjala (CC) received a bye; defeated Rosalina Akombo (Meridian) 6-1, 6-0; defeated Jinsol Yang, 6-0, 6-4 (Collin) in the quarterfinals; defeated Maria Gento (E. Florida State College) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the semifinals; lost to Aisulu Zholbolat (Hillsborough) 6-3, 4-6, 3-6.

*No. 4 – Garcia-Galian (CC) received a bye; defeated Macie Curtis (Hinds) 6-1, 6-0; defeated Josefina Bailetti (Seward) 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; defeated Daniela Vivas Valencia (Collin) 6-4, 6-7, 6-2in the semifinals; lost to Noah Rojas 4-6, 2-6 (Hillsborough) in the national title match.

*No. 5 – Takada (CC) received a bye; defeated Elizabeth Shirley 6-0, 6-1 (Meridian); lost to Nikoletta Pytel (Collin) 3-6, 2-6 in the quarterfinals.

*No. 6 – Arostegui (CC) received a bye; defeated Gabriela Dabrowski (Moraine Valley) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Dasha Moskalenko (E. Florida State) 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; lost to Solomea Jasiczek (Hillsborough) 2-6, 3-6 in the semifinals.