The 7th ranked Barton County Community College men's team landed half of its entries into the semifinals this past weekend competing at the Southwest JUCO hosted by Collin College in Plano, Texas.
Throughout the Cougars' twenty-seven matches, Barton won ten out of its eighteen singles matches, dropping seven to the eventual top two of the respective flight including four to the eventual flight champions. On the doubles side, each tandem was derailed by a top two placer including two going on to win the championship final.
Barton returns to duel action to wind up the regular season, beginning a three-date homestand on Wednesday hosting 4th ranked Cowley College in a 1:00 p.m. first serve at Veteran's Park. The Cougars will then host 5th ranked Seward County Community College on April 18th before getting a final tune-up match April 21st against Ottawa University in preparation of the Region VI Championship.
Gustavo Campos, the Cougar's No. 1 singles player, captured the 3rd place match by winning on the same 6-2 twin scores as his first round match as well. Campos was derailed to the championship match by the eventual event winner in dropping 6-3, 6-2 scores. Teaming with Eduardo Morais in the top doubles flight, the duo received a first round bye but took an 8-0 defeat in the semifinals to the eventual runner-up, later dropping the third place match 8-1. Morais also came up empty in the No. 3 singles bracket, losing in the first round 6-0, 6-2, before dropping the consolation final 6-2, 6-3.
Barton's other third place winner on the court came in the No. 7 flight as Alistair Dick-Vercammen competed in just singles play on the weekend, receiving a first round bye before dropping a 6-0, 6-3, match to the eventual champion. Vercammen capped his event with a come from behind victory, dropping the first set 6-1 but taking the 3rd placing by winning 6-3 and 10-4.
The Cougars made the trip to Texas to play matches, in some cases was not the objective for their opponents as Barton received three walkovers on the weekend. A pair of those came in the third place match, James Kaoma in the No. 2 flight and Marno Du Plessis and Enrico Recchia in the No. 4 doubles.
Kaoma won his first match by taking the first set 6-3 and was up 3-1 in the second before his opponent retired. Meeting the eventual champion in the semifinals, Kaoma lost the match-up 6-3, 6-1 in being sent to the third place match. Doubles partner Barnabas Kalaba also received a walkover in his final match, dropping to the consolation side to the runner-up in the first round 6-1, 7-6(5), then advancing to the final behind a 6-1, 7-5 victory. Kaoma and Kalaba began their flight 2 doubles trek with an 8-6 victory but took an 8-3 loss to the eventual champion before winding up their tournament on the short side of an 8-6 defeat in the third place match.
Du Plessis and Recchia also ran across the eventual champion in the semifinals, losing 8-2 following their first round 8-3 victory. Du Plessis also competed in the No. 8 slot of singles place, bouncing back from a twin 6-3 set score loss to the eventual champion to win the consolation final by 6-4, 6-1 scores.
Samyak Bajracharya and Tsholofelo Tsiang earned Barton three additional consolation final victories, each in singles play and one as the No. 3 doubles tandem. Bajracharya dropped an opening 6-4, 6-2 loss to the eventual runner-up, winning his final 6-1, 6-2, while Tsiang was bounced to the consolation on a hard fought 7-6(4), 6-4, loss to dominate the final 6-0, 6-0. The pair fell 8-4 to the eventual runner-up in first round doubles action, finishing off the weekend on a high note with an 8-5 consolation final victory.
Barton Singles Results:
#1 Gustavo Campos wins 1st match 6-2, 6-2; Wins 3rd Place match 6-2, 6-2
#2 James Kaoma wins 1st match 6-3, 3-1 retired; Drops Semis 6-3, 6-1; Wins 3rd Place match on walkover
#3 Eduardo Morais drops 1st match 6-0, 6-2; Lost 6-2, 6-3 in Consolation Final
#4 Barnabas Kalaba drops 1st match 6-1, 7-6(5); Wins 6-1, 7-5; Wins Consolation Final in walkover
#5 Samyak Bajracharya drops 1st match 6-4, 6-2; Wins 6-0, 6-2; Wins Consolation Final 6-2, 6-1
#6 Tsholofelo Tsiang drops 1st match 7-6(4), 6-4; Won 3-0, retired; Wins Consolation Final 6-0-, 6-0
#7 Alistair Dick-Vercammen 1st Rd bye; drops Semifinal match 6-0, 6-3; Wins 3rd place match 1-6, 6-3, 10-4
#8 Marno Du Plessis drops 1st match 6-3, 6-3; Wins Consolation Final 6-4, 6-1
Barton Doubles Results:
#1 Gustavo Campos/Eduardo Morais rec'd bye; Lost semifinals 8-0; Lost 3rd place 8-1
#2 James Kaoma/Barnabas Kalaba won 8-6; Lost semifinals 8-3; Lost 3rd place 8-6
#3 Samyak Bajracharya/Tsholofelo Tsiang lost 8-4; Win Consolation Final 8-5
#4 Marno Du Plessis/Enrico Recchia won 8-3; Lost semifinals 8-2; Takes 3rd place on walkover