ELLISVILLE – Jones College eased past East Central 5-0 in the opening match of the NJCAA Women's Region 23 Championship here Thursday morning at the Bobcat Tennis Complex.
 
The top-seeded Bobcats will face No. 4 seed Northwest in a 10 a.m. semifinal match on Friday. The Lady Rangers defeated No. 5 seed Hinds, 5-1. 
 
The Bobcats set the tone with three decisive wins in doubles vs. the eighth-seeded Lady Warriors.
 
Molly Bennett and Helen Hernandez beat Nil Kalkavan and Ivanna De Gregorio in No. 1 doubles, 8-1. Theresa Emelio and Maria Martinez blanked Jaci Willis and Isabella Estrada Avila in No. 2 doubles, 8-0, and Ansley Tomkins and Josie Tullos shut out Noelle Howell and Addy Page in No. 3 doubles, 8-0.
 
Hernandez beat Kalkavan in No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-1, and Emelio whipped Avila in No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-0.
 
No. 3 seed Meridian meets No. 2 seed Mississippi Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. on Friday in the other semifinal match. The Lady Eagles defeated No. 6 seed Copiah-Lincoln, 5-2, and the Bulldogs beat No. 7 seed Itawamba, 5-2.
 
The championship is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by the consolation match at 2 p.m.
 
The top three teams will advance to the NJCAA Division I Tournament May 3-6 in Tyler, Texas.