Women's tennis team ready for Region 8 Women's Tennis Championships

The Eastern Florida State College women's tennis team will compete in the FCSAA JUCO Florida State Tournament in Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.

The Region 8 Women's Tennis Championships begins at 8:15 a.m. with the singles matches.

"We have improved a lot this year, we have played a lot of matches that have helped us prepare and we are ready," women's tennis player Luisa Renovales said.

Renovales will play No. 6 singles against St. Petersburg's Ai Katsura in the semifinals. Katsura defeated Renovales in the lone meeting during the regular season in straight sets.

Emma Sanchez will play Hillsborough Community College's Arina Gamretkaia in the semifinals on Wednesday morning.

Simona Karlsson will meet St. Petersburg's Rocio Brisa Zarate in a No. 2 singles semifinal. Karlsson defeated Zarate in straight sets in the only meeting this season.

At No. 3 singles, Gloria Barcaro will play Hillsborough Community College's Ita Habekovic in the semifinals.

Paige Noble-Lucas will play St. Petersburg's Alessia Ciampi in the semifinals of the No. 4 singles. It will be the first meeting between the two players this season.

At No. 5 singles, Helena Jokanovic will face St. Petersburg's Kyoka Ueno in the semifinals. Ueno defeated Jokanovic in the first meeting between the two teams.

In doubles, Barcara and Karlsson will play St. Petersburg's Alvarez Mercante and Ueno at No. 1 doubles in the first meeting while Sanchez and Jokanovic will team up at No. 2 doubles against Hillsborough Community College's Alicia Gomez and Yoana Dudova.

At No. 3 doubles, Lucas-Noble and Lucia Lucas will have a rematch of a tight match earlier this season, playing St. Petersburg's Katsura and Zarate. In the regular season meeting, Katsura and Zarate won 9-7.

The Region 8 Women's Tennis Championships will continue Thursday with finals matches and the top team will get an automatic bid into the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in Texas.