Women's tennis team has good day at national tournament

The Eastern Florida State College women's tennis team had another big day at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in Tyler, Texas.

The Titans are in fifth place overall, one point behind the leaders after two rounds. Five singles players advance to the quarterfinals as well as all three doubles teams on Sunday.

Elena Martinez Prado, the No. 6 seed at No. 1 singles, defeated Coastal Alabama Community College's Sophie Smith in three sets, falling 6-3 in the first set before coming back to win the next two, 6-2, 6-2. Prado will play No. 3 seed Natalia Michta of host Tyler Junior College in the quarterfinals Monday morning.

Emma Sanchez, the No. 5 seed at No. 2 singles, beat Mississippi Gulf Coast's Danique Vermue 6-0, 6-2 and will face No. 4 seed Rima Yoshida of St. Petersburg College in the quarterfinals.

No. 5 seed Lucia Lucas beat Jacksonville College's Ozi-Oiza Yakubu in a No. 3 singles match in three sets, falling 7-5 in the first set but came back to win 6-2, 6-1. Lucas will play St. Petersburg College's Alessia Ciampi who is the No. 4 seed.

No. 4 seed Maria Gento defeated USC Sumter's Mary Catherine Cameron 6-1, 6-0 at No. 4 singles on Sunday. Gento will play No. 5 seed Alejandra Ramirez of Seward County Community College in the quarterfinals.

No. 5 seed Thais Mitlmeier beat Meridian Community College's Lilly Hollingsworth 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6 singles. Mitlmeier will play No. 4 Kyoka Ueno of St. Petersburg in the quarterfinals Monday.

Sara Ladino lost to No. 5 seed Ai Katsua from St. Petersburg College in three sets, splitting the first two sets 4-6, 6-4 before falling 1-6 at No. 5 singles.

The No. 1 doubles team of Lucas and Sanchez won their match against Iowa Central Community College's Ayawavi Vania Dotse and Abide Valentine Talaki 6-4, 6-3. Lucas and Sanchez will play No. 2 seed Paula Cabrer and Rocio Martinez of Hillsborough Community College.

The No. 2 doubles team of Gento and Mitlmeier beat Collin College's Alyssa Glasgow and Jinsol Yang 6-2, 6-2. The duo will play No. 4 seed Alessia Ciampi and Maria Moskaltsova of St. Petersburg College in the quarterfinals on Monday afternoon.

The No. 3 doubles team Prado and Ladino are the No. 2 seed and defeated Coastal Alabama Community College's Lena Spears and Hannah Vosteen 6-3, 6-1 in the round of 16. They will play Copiah-Lincoln Community College's Adyson Parks and Ann-Clark Van in the quarterfinals Monday afternoon.