FLORENCE, S.C. – After rain pushed back the original start, Meridian Community College's 20th-ranked men's tennis team rallied through four full days of high-stakes competition at the NJCAA Division I Men's Tennis National Championships, finishing the tournament with 7.5 points.
The Eagles opened strong despite the weather delay, notching key victories in both singles and doubles play.
Day 1 Highlights
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Flight 1 Singles: Simon Ojeda defeated Dwayne Daarol (College of Lake County) 6-1, 6-0
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Flight 3 Singles: Badlwin Escobar won over Djamel-Dine Bey (Iowa Central) 6-4, 6-3
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Flight 2 Doubles: Badlwin Escobar and Blakeney Allen advanced after a dominant 6-0, 6-1 comeback win against Jacksonville College
Day 2 Results
Ojeda, Espin, and Escobar faced top-ranked opponents in the Round of 16, with each falling in hard-fought matches. Several Eagles advanced in the consolation brackets, continuing to rack up valuable team points.
Day 3 Standout
Ojeda and Espin advanced to the Flight 1 Doubles consolation semifinals after a walkover in their quarterfinal matchup. Meanwhile, the Flight 3 Doubles team of Mark Little and Laike Satterfield exited the tournament following an 8-4 loss.
Final Day Victory
Ojeda and Espin closed the tournament with a win in the Flight 1 Doubles consolation semifinals, defeating Bevill State 8-5. They advanced to the final but ended their run with a walkover loss to Jones College.
Meridian finishes the national tournament with 7.5 team points, concluding the season with a 9-11-1 overall record and a 5-5 conference finish, and maintaining a top-20 national ranking in the ITA.
"These young men represented MCC with heart and grit on a national stage," said Head Coach Ryan Mounce. "To compete against the best in the country and finish with strong doubles play shows the talent and determination of our program."
