The Seward County women’s tennis team survived the first day of competition at the NJCAA National Championship in Waco, Texas on Sunday, going a perfect 4-0 on the day. Patricia Panta and Maria Aveiga won their singles matches, while the teams of Steffany Bermudez/Panta and Martina Borges/Yusra Hegy both advanced in doubles action.

Seventh-ranked Panta started off the day cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 win in the No. 1 Singles draw over Mirela Jordan of Jones County Junior College. She will face Meridian’s Julia McCarty at 9:00 a.m. on Monday.

In the No. 2 Singles draw, sixth-ranked Maria Aveiga earned a hard-fought win over Brenda Aguilar of North Central Texas 7-5, 6-3. She will take on Ashley Coots of Central Alabama in the Round of 16 at 9:00 a.m. on Monday.

Two of the three doubles teams were in action on Sunday, starting with sixth-ranked Bermudez and Panta in the No. 1 Doubles draw winning 6-3, 6-2 over Ciara Desboilles and Juliette Mary of Eastern Arizona. The tandem will take on Jayhawk foe Laura Rincon and Kristela Vidnere at 2:45 p.m. on Monday.

In the No. 3 Doubles draw, Borges and Hegy crushed the Iowa Central team of Rebecca Dunn and Aimee Kell, losing just one game to win 6-1, 6-0.  The duo will face Monika Cantu and Priscilla Morales of Laredo at 4:00 p.m. on Monday.

At the end of the first day of competition, the Lady Saints are tied for 9^th place with eight points. Central Alabama leads all teams with 16 points, but Seward will have a chance to vault in the standings if their five players with byes come away with wins in the Round of 16.