MERIDIAN – The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Lady Wolves’ tennis team opened the 2017-2018 season at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Tournament over the weekend. The Lady Wolves played well throughout the weekend as Co-Lin’s Ximena Daza advanced all the way to the singles championship.

Daza picked up wins over Gulf Coast, ICC, and Hinds on her way to the championship round. In the final match of the singles draw Daza lost to Marion Military’s Karen Yan in a marathon match 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Co-Lin’s Carmen Manicea advanced to the quarterfinals after solid victories in the earlier rounds. Manicea lost in the semifinals to Yan 6-2, 6-2.

Katy Clark picked up an early win over ICC’s Lizbeth Jimenez 6-1, 6-1, but lost to the No. 8 seed Margarita Lopareva of Gulf Coast 6-1, 6-4.

Kara Clark defeated Meridian’s Rachel Sollie in a long battle 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round, but fell to the No. 6 seed Maria Jordan 6-0, 6-2.

In doubles action, the Clark twins fell to Meridian’s McCarty and Rodriguez in the opening round, but made a strong push in the consolation bracket. The sisters advanced to the finals with an 8-0 victory over ICC’s Gulentine and Campbell and a 8-3 win over Gulf Coast, but lost to Jones County, 9-7, in a hard fought championship match.

Co-Lin’s No. 1 doubles team Daza and Carmen were the No. 2 seed entering the ITA Tournament. The pair advanced to the second round after blanking Gulf Coast 8-0, but fell to Marion Military’s Lin and Yan.

“We had a great ITA Tournament, and I’m very proud of the way the girls competed and executed our match strategies,” said Co-Lin women tennis head coach Brenda Smith. “We’ve been preparing for this since day one…we’ll continue to work to get better before the season starts.”

Smith went on to say, “We’re so proud of both of our teams, ITA nationals next for men; both teams had a team in consolations finals; three-of-four singles finalist were Co-Lin players…just a great showing by Co-Lin tennis.”