Match Results

MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Norfolk State women's tennis team inched closer to a .500 record after a 5-2 victory over Chowan Thursday afternoon in a road match at the Chowan Tennis Complex.

The Hawks (5-13) won the No. 1 singles and doubles matches, but the Spartans swept the rest to improve to 7-8 on the season. Each match counted as one point, and because both teams sported five-player lineups, the No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles matches were not played.

NSU cruised in the last three singles matches, beginning with junior Rebecca Graff's 6-0, 6-0 win over Heaven Rushing at the third slot. Freshman Kia Batiste also won by a 6-0, 6-0 score at the No. 5 position against Jena'y Nelson. Sophomore Maryna Kariuk wasted little time in downing Jennifer Humphrey at the No. 4 slot, 6-2, 6-0.

Freshman Laura Gutierrez had to battle to win the first set in the second singles position, but Gutierrez earned the 7-6 victory after the 7-4 tiebreaker over Inesa Asatryan and then won the second set, 6-2. Gutierrez and Kariuk also won at No. 2 doubles over Humphrey and Nelson, 8-0.

Chowan found success at the top of the lineup, as Natalya Kamenshckova defeated senior Naeemah Brooks, 6-3, 6-2, at the No. 1 singles slot, while Kamenshckova and Asatryan took care of Brooks and Graff at the top doubles spot, 8-2.

The Spartans will host Delaware next Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the NSU Tennis Courts.