Alcorn Women Fall to Alabama State in SWAC Opener

Montgomery, Ala. — Alcorn State’s women’s tennis team opened SWAC play with a 4-0 loss to Alabama State on Sunday at the Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center. The Braves, who are 3-10 overall, failed to secure a point against the Hornets, who are 2-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

Alabama State dominated doubles play, winning all completed matches. Oihane Villanueva Lopez and Zoe Crimmel lost 6-2 at the No. 2 position to Kesmat El Tawil and Senna Van Den Heuvel. Taylor Briffa and Natalija Nikolic were shut out 6-0 at No. 3 by Jovana Petrovic and Alexia Campagna. The No. 1 doubles match with Amelia Tatafu and Hana Bajramovic was left unfinished after Alabama State secured the doubles point.

In singles action, Briffa was the closest to earning a point, falling 6-3, 6-1 at No. 6 to Petrovic. Nikolic lost 6-0, 6-4 to Van Den Heuvel at No. 5, and Tatafu was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by El Tawil at No. 2. Matches involving Bajramovic, Crimmel, and Lopez were unfinished as Alabama State clinched the team victory.

Alcorn interim head coach Kersten Vanem-Walker praised her team’s effort despite the result. “It’s been a long season, and there have been some tough matches, but I’m incredibly proud of how these young women continue to compete and show up for each other,” she said. “We’re going to keep working, keep grinding, and stay positive. There’s a lot of tennis left to be played, and I believe in this group.”

The Braves’ next match is away against Southern Miss on Tuesday in Hattiesburg at 2 p.m.

Follow Alcorn State Sports on Twitter (@BravesSports) for updates, and on Instagram (@AlcornSports) and YouTube (Braves Sports Network) for behind-the-scenes content.

Complete results:

• Singles: Craciun (ASU) vs. Bajramovic (ALC): 6-2, 4-0, unfinished; El Tawil (ASU) def. Tatafu (ALC): 6-2, 6-2; Mekic (ASU) vs. Crimmel (ALC): 6-2, 5-1, unfinished; Campagna (ASU) vs. Lopez (ALC): 6-2, 5-0, unfinished; Van Den Heuvel (ASU) def. Nikolic (ALC): 6-0, 6-4; Petrovic (ASU) def. Briffa (ALC): 6-3, 6-1.
• Doubles: Craciun/Mekic (ASU) vs. Tatafu/Bajramovic (ALC): 4-3, unfinished; El Tawil/Van Den Heuvel (ASU) def. Lopez/Crimmel (ALC): 6-2; Petrovic/Campagna (ASU) def. Briffa/Nikolic (ALC): 6-0.

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