ORANGEBURG,SC—The South Carolina State men's and women's tennis team move a step closer to their seventh conference crown defeating MEAC rival FAMU Saturday at SCSU Tennis Courts. The women's dominated the Lady Rattlers 6-1, while the men pulled out a close 5-2 victory.
The Lady Bulldogs improved to 15-2 overall, 4-0 in the MEAC, while the men climbed to 11-3 overall, 3-0 in the league ,with both teams securing top-seeds in the Southern Division and the MEAC Championships April 15-17 in Raleigh, NC.
“I am very proud of both teams they fought all season through injuries to get to this point,” said SC State head coach
Hardeep Judge. “Anytime you play a team as talented as FAMU your level play is taken to another level.”
On the women's side, the Lady Bulldogs were led by senior and #83 nationally-ranked Daria Sakekrina defeating Britney Dean (6-0, 6-0), while freshman
Akilah James dominated Kathline Durden 6-1, 6-1.
The Lady Bulldogs also won the doubles point with Sekerina/Craciun def. Olagbegi/Dean (8-1), Jad/Mendez def. Gomez/Holt (8-3), and James/Bosneag def.Brown/Durden 8-3.
The men were led by junior Dymtro Kovalevych def. Levan Clark (6-7, 6-2, 6-3) and freshman Artemiy Nikitin def. Michael Moore 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Other Bulldog earning victories were Peteris Vinogradovs def. Maurice Wamokowa (6-3, 6-1) and Anton Protsenko def. Chidi Gabriel 6-2, 7-6.
SC State also posted doubles wins with Meana/Vinogradovs def. Happy/Gabriel 8-6, and Kovalevych/Protsenko def. Adjaye/Clark 8-4.
“FAMU has a awesome team and I am sure we will see them again somewhere down the road in the MEAC Championships,” stated Judge.
South Carolina State will return to action on next Friday April, 1 when both teams play their last home match of the season when they host Coastal Carolina in a non-conference showdown at 2 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
Florida A&M vs SC State Bulldogs
Mar 26, 2011 at Orangeburg,SC
(SCSU Tennis Courts)
SC State Bulldogs 5, Florida A&M 2
Singles competition
1. HAPPY, Takura (FAMUM) def. MEANA, Gabriel (SCSUM) 6-4, 7-5
2. KOVALEVYCH, Dmytro (SCSUM) def. CLARK, Levan (FAMUM) 6-7, 6-2, 6-3
3. VINOGRADOUS,Peteris (SCSUM) def. WAMOKOWA,Maurice (FAMUM) 6-3, 6-1
4. PROTSENKO, Anton (SCSUM) def. GABRIEL,Chidi (FAMUM) 6-2, 7-6
5. NIKITIN, Artemiy (SCSUM) def. MOORE, Micheal (FAMUM) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
6. ADJAYE,Temuera (FAMUM) def. GRUND, David (SCSUM) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
2. KOVALEVYCH, Dmytro/PROTSENKO, Anton (SCSUM) def. WAMOKOWA,Maurice/ADJAYE,Temuera (FAMUM) 8-4
3. MOORE, Micheal/CLARK, Levan (FAMUM) def. NIKITIN, Artemiy/GRUND, David (SCSUM) 8-5
Doubles competition
1. SEKERINA, Daria/CRACIUM,Maria (SCSUW) def. DEAN, Britney/OLAGBEGI,Latreece (FAMUW) 8-1
2. JAD,Suhaila/MENDEZ,Sabrina (SCSUW) def. HOLT, Bethany/GOMEZ, Maria (FAMUW) 8-3
3. JAMES,AKilah/BOSNEAG, Laura (SCSUW) def. BROWN,Alexis/DURDEN,Kathline (FAMUW) 8-3Match Notes:
SC State Lady Bulldogs 15-2
--30--
SC State Lady Bulldogs 6, Florida A&M 1
Singles competition
1. SEKERINA, Daria (SCSUW) def. DEAN, Britney (FAMUW) 6-0, 6-0
2. BROWN,Alexis (FAMUW) def. JAD,Suhaila (SCSUW) 6-2, 6-1
3. JAMES,AKilah (SCSUW) def. DURDEN,Kathline (FAMUW) 6-1, 6-1
4. CRACIUM,Maria (SCSUW) def. OLAGBEGI,Latreece (FAMUW) 6-3, 6-4
5. MENDEZ,Sabrina (SCSUW) def. GOMEZ, Maria (FAMUW) 6-1, 6-0
6. BOSNEAG, Laura (SCSUW) def. HOLT, Bethany (FAMUW) 6-0, 6-0
