The No. 9 ranked Barton Community College women's tennis team delivered a balanced postseason performance, finishing tied for second place at the two-day Region 6 Championships held in Pratt.
The Cougars compiled 7 team points, three of its losses coming to eventual champions, to share runner-up overall honors with host No. 13 Pratt, finishing behind No. 2 Cowley College's 13.5 points, while No. 6 Seward County placed fourth with 4 points.
Headlining Barton's efforts was Grace Tchamoussa, who captured the Region 6 title at No. 3 singles with a commanding two-match run. The top-seeded Tchamoussa opened with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Seward County's Rosaline Akombo before closing out the championship with a 6-2, 6-3 decision over Pratt's Ilse Smaalders.
Barton nearly added another individual title at No. 2 singles, where second-seeded Danira Ndengoue, ranked No. 18 nationally, powered into the finals with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 semifinal victory over Pratt's Ebonie Russell. Ndengoue then pushed Cowley's No. 17 ranked Cynthia Wanjala in a three-set battle before falling 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the championship match.
At the top of the lineup, No. 16 Vitoria Campigotto rebounded from a 6-4, 6-4 setback to eventual champion Mishel Lobotenko of Seward County with a strong finish, earning third place at No. 1 singles with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Pratt's Emma Guzman. Jamie Petrova mirrored that effort at No. 4 singles, bouncing back from a 6-4 tiebreak loss for a third place 6-1, 6-0 win over Seward County's Patricia Sazambile.
The Cougars earned third place points in the lower flights, as Salalee Seejong was dealt a first match loss to the eventual champion before prevailing 6-4, 6-3 over Seward County's Salma Achik, while Lauren Barker added a third-place finish at No. 6 via forfeit.
In doubles play, the No. 2 duo of Tchamoussa and Petrova advanced to the championship match behind a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Seward County before finishing as runner-up following a 6-3, 6-4 decision to Pratt's Ebonie Russell and Emma Guzman
The No. 1 pairing of Campigotto and Ndengoue delivered one of the tournament's tightest contests, pushing Cowley's top-seeded and No. 2 ranked tandem of Cynthia Wanjala and Naghely Garcia to three sets before falling 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. The duo regrouped to claim third place, edging Pratt's No. 22 ranked Ilse Smaalders and Sandra Rodriguez Dominguez in a tight 7-6(4), 7-5 decision.
Rounding out doubles play, Seejong and Barker were awarded a third-place finish by default at No. 3.
With contributions across every singles and doubles flight, the Cougars showcased depth from top to bottom heading into the season's final stage.
Barton will wrap up the season May 2-6 in Sumter, South Carolina, at the NJCAA Division I Championships.
Singles
No. 1: Vitoria Campigotto (3rd Seed, No. 16 ranked)Lost to Mishel Lobotenko (Seward County) 6-4, 6-4
3rd Place: Won over Emma Guzman (Pratt) 7-5, 6-3
No. 2: Danira Ndengoue (2nd Seed, No. 18 ranked) Won over Ebonie Russell (Pratt) 6-0, 6-0Championship: Lost to No. 17 Cynthia Wanjala (Cowley) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
No. 3: Grace Tchamoussa (1st Seed) Won over Rosaline Akombo (Seward County) 6-3, 6-1Championship: Won over Ilse Smaalders (Pratt) 6-2, 6-3
No. 4: Jamie Petrova (2nd Seed) Lost to Sandra Rodriguez Dominguez (Pratt) 1-6, 6-4, 6-43rd Place: Won over Patricia Sazambile (Seward County) 6-1, 6-0
No. 5: Salalee Seejong (4th Seed) Lost to No. 27 Lisa Takamura (Cowley) 6-2, 6-23rd Place: Won over Salma Achik (Seward County) 6-4, 6-3
No. 6: Lauren Barker (3rd Seed) Lost to Alyse Zimmerman (Pratt) 6-3, 6-23rd Place: Received forfeit win
Doubles
No. 1: Vitoria Campigotto/Danira Ndengoue (4th Seed) Lost to No. 2 Cynthia Wanjala/Naghely Garcia (Cowley) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
3rd Place: No. 22 Isle Smaalders/Sandra Rodriguez Dominuez (Pratt) 7-6(4), 7-5
No. 2: Grace Tchamoussa/Jamie Petrova (2nd Seed) Won over Salma Achik/Elena Oborocea (Seward County) 6-0, 6-1Lost to Ebonie Russell/Emma Guzman (Pratt) 6-3, 6-4
No. 3: Salalee Seejong/Lauren Barker (3rd Seed) Lost to Barbara Mattar/Alyse Zimmerman (Pratt) 6-1, 6-33rd Place: Received forfeit win
Team Results:
1st No. 2 Cowley (13.5pts)
T-2nd No. 9 Barton and No. 13 Pratt (7pts)
4th No. 6 Seward County (4pts)