FAMU Match Results | UMES Match Results

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's tennis team split its matches on Saturday, falling to Florida A&M, 7-0, before rebounding to defeat UMES, 7-0, in the MEAC Round-Up at the Palmetto Tennis Center.

The Spartans hammered the Hawks, dropping just five games all-together between singles and doubles as NSU's record went to 2-9 on the season. FAMU won all six singles matches, including third-set tiebreakers at No. 5 and 6 singles, as well as the three doubles matches for the sweep.

Against UMES, freshman Gabriella Jonsson and junior Naeemah Brooks did their job at No. 1 doubles, defeating Solana McMillan and Paula Vilas by an 8-1 score. Senior Jennifer Astbury and sophomore Rebecca Graff took care of Brittany Coppock and Shamara McKenzie at the No. 2 slot, 8-1, while senior Chenge Tsapayi and freshman Maryna Kariuk wasted little time in disposing of Arshell Jackson and Alisia Belt at No. 3 doubles, 8-0.

Astbury's 6-1, 6-1 victory over McMillan at No. 1 singles was the closest the Hawks got in the six singles matches. Brooks was the only other Spartan to drop a game, as she defeated Vilas, 6-1, 6-0, at the third singles spot.

Jonsson swept Coppock, 6-0, 6-0, at the No. 2 slot, while Tsapayi did the same to McKenzie at the No. 4 position. Graff earned a 6-0, 6-0 victory against Arshell at No. 5, while Kariuk also won in straight sets against Belt at No. 6 singles by the same score.

Against the Rattlers, Graff and Kariuk nearly pulled out wins at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, respectively. Graff won the first set over Maria Gomez, 6-2, before Gomez rebounded with a 6-4 second-set win. Gomez then took the tiebreaker, 10-5, for the match win.

Kariuk dropped the first set to Bethany Holt at the sixth slot by a 6-0 margin, but the NSU freshman returned the favor with a 7-5 win in the second set. Holt dashed hopes of an NSU win with a 10-6 victory in the third-set tiebreaker.

In the other singles matches, Britney Dean knocked off Astbury at the No. 1 singles spot, 6-0, 7-5. Alexis Brown posted a 6-1, 6-0, victory over Jonsson at No. 2, and Brooks suffered a 6-3, 6-2 setback to Kathline Durden at the third slot. Tsapayi, at No. 4, fell to Latreece Olagbegi, 6-2, 6-2.

In the doubles matches, Jonsson and Brooks dropped an 8-3 decision to Olagbegi and Dean, and Astbury and Graff also came up short, 8-2, to Gomez and Holt at No. 2. In the third doubles match, Brown and Durden downed Kariuk and Tsapayi, 8-1.

NSU will wrap up the tournament Sunday at 9 a.m. against North Carolina Central.