Northwest Mississippi’s Luca Morris Advances at NJCAA Division II Tennis Championship

PLANO, Texas — Luca Morris, a sophomore at Northwest Mississippi Community College, started the NJCAA Division II Men’s Tennis Championship with a commanding win in the Flight 2 singles bracket on Monday.

Morris, a veteran player under head coach Ryan Mounce, overcame a slow start in chilly conditions to defeat Lucius Davis of Rowan College-South Jersey 6-2, 6-0. After initial nerves, Morris found his rhythm and never looked back, rallying from early deficits to dominate the match.

“I had a bit of nerves to begin with,” Morris said. “I knew the more I was out on court, the more I would improve and find my level.” He lost a brief lead early in the first set but then gained confidence after a coaching conversation. With Mounce’s advice to relax and focus, Morris took control, winning four straight games to close out the first set and then cruising in the second.

Morris explained that simplifying his strategy was key to his victory. “I was trying to do too much at first. Once I focused on playing my game, everything clicked,” he said. He will face the tournament’s top seed, David Gimenez of Coastal Alabama Community College-South, on Tuesday. The two met in March, with Gimenez winning that matchup.

“I need to stay consistent and focused throughout the full match,” Morris added. “The last time I faced him, I was up-and-down. I’ve just got to start strong and stay strong.” Mounce emphasized the importance of Tuesday’s matches, describing them as “moving day” in the tournament. He said the team has 27 points to play for and is aiming for a championship run.

Main draw singles play begins at 11 a.m., followed by doubles at approximately 5:15 p.m. Fans can follow the team’s progress on Northwest social media or at nwccrangers.com.

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