The Barton Community College women's tennis team finished 7th this week at the NJCAA Division I Championship held at the Mesa Tennis Center in Mesa, Arizona.
Ranked 4th in the final regular season poll, Barton went a combined 19-9 in their four days of competition with seven of the losses coming to the eventual national champion, four to the national runner-up, and two to national semifinalist.
The Cougars stood in 7th after day one's competition, dropped to 9th the day following, then made a spot climb in each of the remaining two days compiling 24 points to tie State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota for the final 7th position.
Joining Barton in the top eight of the leaderboard were Region VI members Cowley College (3rd) and Seward County Community College (5th) while the remaining schools hailed from either Florida or Texas including national champion Tyler Junior College.
A pair of Cougars, Annuniciata De-Souza in the No. 2 singles draw and Angelina Gnezdilova in the No. 4 slot, bounced back from an opening day loss to end the tournament with a victory and claim the consolation final title.
Staying in the singles championship side of the bracket, both Natsuki Nishimura and Alexandra Abyasova had their season end to the eventual national runner-up, Nishimura bowing out in the semifinals with Abyasova falling in the quarterfinal round.
In the final two slots of singles play, each won their first match before being bounced by either the top seed overall of the second seed. Malena Hernandez' loss in the No. 5 spot came to the top seed and eventual national runner-up while No. 6 player Hailey Vinroe blanked her first opponent before running into the second seed.
Same story but different dance in doubles action. The Cougars top duo of De-Souza and Nishimura had a great run through the No. 1 bracket but lost a three-setter in the semifinals to the eventual national champion.
The No. 2 pairing of Abysavoa and Hernandez blanked their first opponent before falling in the quarterfinals to the 4th seed. Much like their singles draws, Gnezdilova and Vinroe fell victim of the same situation as they won their first No. 3 doubles matchup before falling to the 2nd seed who would go on to finish national runner-up.