Women's tennis team preparing to play at national tournament

The Eastern Florida State College women's tennis team heads to the NJCAA Division I Women's Tennis National Tournament playing some of its best tennis.

The Titans come into the national tournament ranked No. 9 in the latest JUCO national ITA poll and qualified for the national tournament by placing third in the Region VIII Tournament.

Singles players Simona Karlsson Hantzis and Helena Jokanovic both placed second in the Region VIII Tournament and Karlsson, Jokanovic, Emma Sanchez and Gloria Barcaro are all ranked in the top 46 players in the country.

Sanchez will play No. 1 singles while Karlsson will play No. 2, Barcaro is at No. 3 with Lucia Lucas Martinez playing No. 4, Jokanovic at No. 5 and Luisa Renovales playing No. 6 singles.

In doubles, the Titans will go back to the duos who played well early in the season. Karlsson and Jokanovic will team up at No. 1 doubles with Barcaro and Sanchez at No. 2. At No. 3 will be Paige Noble Lucas and Lucia Lucas Martinez.

The Titans will be back in the national tournament for the third time in program history.

The national tournament will begin Saturday, May 6 in Tyler, Texas as the best teams in the country will compete for the title at the Joann Medlock Murphy Tennis Center.