HATTIESBURG – Jones County Junior College got off to a good start in the opening day of the MACJC State Tennis Tournament here Thursday at the Tatum Park Tennis Courts.

The Lady Bobcats entered the tournament with a 12-2 record, while the men’s team was 11-5. Matches will continue Friday with finals in the singles competition set for 8 a.m. on Saturday with the doubles’ finals to follow at 10 a.m.

The top three teams in the tournament advance to the Region 23 Tournament Tuesday-Wednesday in Meridian. The top three teams in regionals will advance to nationals in May.

WOMEN

In No. 1 singles, Erica Walker of Jones beat Ashli Walker of Co-Lin, 6-3, 6-0. Walker, the No. 3 seed, will meet top-seed Erin Boast of Itawamba at 12:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.

In No. 2 singles, Rachel Whaley of Jones defeated Adrienne Brown of Co-Lin, 0-6, 6-1, 6-2. Whaley, the No. 3 seed, takes on top-seed Aline Ferreira of Hinds at 12:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.

In No. 3 singles, JCJC’s Meredith Johnson beat Mary McDonnieal of Co-Lin, 6-0, 6-0. Johnson, the No. 2 seed, will play in the semifinals at 2 p.m. on Friday.

Mary Carole Kiewit of Jones defeated Chrisa Holley of Northeast, 6-1, 6-0 in No. 4 singles. Kiewit, the No. 2 seed, will play at 2 p.m. on Friday vs. Itawamba.

Tiffany Hudson of Jones is the top seed in No. 5 singles. Hudson blanked Kristen Brison of Southwest, 6-0, 6-0 on Thursday. She will play in the semifinals at 2 p.m. on Friday.

JCJC’s Rebecca Rogers is the No. 1 seed in No. 6 singles and will play at 3:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.

In No. 1 doubles, Walker and Whaley are the third-seeded team and face the Southwest/Co-Lin winner at 11 a.m. on Friday.

J.J. Benson and Meredith Johnson of Jones, the No. 2 doubles team, blanked Southwest, 6-0, 6-0. Their next match will be a semifinal match at 5 p.m. Friday.

The No. 3 doubles team – Jillian McNeese and Rebecca Rogers – is the top seed and will meet the Hinds/Pearl River winner at 5 p.m. Friday.

MEN

Casey Dykes of Jones fell to Hleb Maslav of Hinds, 6-0, 6-0 in No. 1 singles.

JCJC’s Tyler Shows defeated Tye Steel of Holmes, 6-2, 6-2 in No. 2 singles. Shows takes on Steven Georgian of Pearl River at 8 a.m. Friday in the semifinals.

Mitchell Smith of Jones defeated Josh Yawn of Southwest, 6-3, 6-1 in No. 3 singles. Smith, the No. 2 seed, will play in the semifinals at 12:30 p.m. on Friday.

In No. 4 singles, JCJC’s Cody Kadoun is the No. 3 seeed and will face Jake Easley of Southwest at 8 a.m. Friday.

Eric Lynn of Jones is the fourth seed in No. 5 singles and will play the Pearl River/Southwest winner at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

JCJC’s Nathan Kanengiser is the No. 4 seed in No. 6 singles and will meet the Holmes/East Central winner at 9:30 a.m. Friday. In No. 1 doubles, Dykes and Shows defeated Colton Amis and Matt Wade of East Central, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-1. Dykes and Shows will meet Co-Lin at 11 a.m. Friday in the semifinals.

In No. 2 doubles, Smith and Kanengiser are the No. 4 seed and will meet the Gulf Coast/Southwest winner at 11 a.m. Friday. Lynn and Kadoun are the third-seeded team in No. 3 doubles and face the Hinds/Northeast winner at 11 a.m. Friday.