Custom Search NORFOLK, Va. – The South Carolina State Bulldogs made it a clean sweep on Saturday as the men’s tennis team captured the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Championship with a 4-0 victory over Florida A&M University at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University. Earlier in the day South Carolina State’s women’s team also won the championship with a 4-0 sweep of Florida A&M.
MEN
In doubles, the Bulldogs took victories at the top two lines to take the team point. At number one, Jakub Vitek and Martin Figura defeated C. Agustin Waitman and Walner Espinoza 7-6 (7-5). The number two line saw Vladyslav Yanchenko and Salih Gilmutdinov took a 6-3 win over Courage Okungbowa and Illya Skoromnyy.
South Carolina State scored wins at numbers one, two and five singles to finish off the sweep. Yanchenko defeated Karlyn Small 6-3, 6-0 at number two and Aleksander Stupar knocked off Jalen Evans 6-4, 6-2 at number five. Figura scored a 6-2, 6-1 win over Okungbowa at the top line for the clinching point.
The championship for the Bulldogs was the eighth in a row, 11th in the last 12 completed tournaments and 14th overall.
With the win, South Carolina State (12-8) earned the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championships.
WOMEN
In doubles, South Carolina State's women won at number one and number three slots to earn the team point. Intissar Rassif and Dakota Brown defeated Shantel Blackwood and Arrice Robinson 6-2 at the number one slot, while Andjela Vasic and Marketa Marcanikova won at number three over Elizabeth Clayton and Alexis Dean 6-4 for the team point.
The singles matches were highlighted by Rassif, who was named the Outstanding Performer of the tournament, winning at number one over Alexis Dean 6-0, 6-2. Vasic defeated Olivia Rolle 6-3, 6-1 at number three singles to get the Lady Bulldogs to within a point of the championship. Carla Petreanu won the tournament-clinching match defeating Clayton at number six singles 6-0, 6-4.
The tournament title was the first for SCSU's women since 2014 and they have now won 11 of the last 12 MEAC Championships and 12th overall.
With the win, South Carolina State (8-10) earned the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships.
Men’s All-Tournament Outstanding Performer: Jakub Vitek, South Carolina State Doubles
| Women’s All-Tournament Team Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge, South Carolina StateOutstanding Performer: Intissar Rassif, South Carolina State Doubles
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