Men's Tennis | 2/24/2017 11:06:00 PM

Braves Sweep MVSU; Lady Braves Split Pair of Matches on Day One of SWAC Round-Up

JACKSON, Miss. – On the first of two days at the SWAC Round-Up, the Alcorn State University men's tennis program swept Mississippi Valley State 7-0, while the women beat MVSU 6-0 but fell to Southern 4-2 Friday.
 
The Braves (3-10, 1-0 SWAC) lost just two games total in 10 sets of singles against the Delta Devils. Senior Nikita Kostikov, junior Kert Kilumets and senior Nischay Rawal all won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1, 2 and 4 singles, respectively. Freshmen Suyash Gupta and Ivan Matas both came out on top 6-1, 6-0 at the respective No. 3 and 5 spots.
 
In doubles, Kostikov and Kilumets breezed to a 6-0 victory at the No. 1 position over Kyle Harris and Jordan Freeman. It clinched the doubles point after MVSU was short a player and was forced to forfeit at No. 3.
 
Kilumets improved to 6-2 on the year at No. 2 singles.
 
The Alcorn men have won three of its last four matches on the season.
 
The Lady Braves (3-8, 1-1 SWAC) fell in a closely contested match all the way down against the Lady Jags. Sophomore Bianca Birkenstock won 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, and sophomore Marlene Maier won 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 6 position.
 
The Alcorn women bounced back in the afternoon to cruise to a 6-0 win over the Devilettes. The Lady Braves did not drop a single game in any match.
 
The Lady Braves quickly got started with 6-0 victories in doubles as freshman Daria Chemodanova and junior Natalia Parchowska took care of business at the No. 1 spot, and Birkenstock and freshman Anastasia Vaganova followed suite at No. 2.
 
In singles, only the No. 6 position went unfinished. Birkenstock, Chemodanova, Parchowska, Vaganova and sophomore Klavdija Bukovec all registered flawless wins.
 
Alcorn will be back at it Saturday when both the men and women face the host institution Jackson State at 9 a.m. at the JSU Campus Courts. The Braves and Lady Braves will close out the day against Alabama A&M at 2 p.m. at the JSU Campus Courts.
 
Men's Tennis
Alcorn 7, Mississippi Valley State 0
Doubles Competition
1. Nikita Kostikov/Kert Kilumets (ALCN_M) def. Kyle Harris/Jordan Freeman (MVSU) 6-0
2. Ivan Matas/Suyash Gupta (ALCN_M) vs. John Sansing/Rodorious Turner (MVSU) 5-1, unfinished
3. Nischay Rawal/Nuno Rocha (ALCN_M) def. No player/No player (MVSU), by forfeit
 
Singles Competition
1. Nikita Kostikov (ALCN_M) def. Kyle Harris (MVSU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Kert Kilumets (ALCN_M) def. John Sansing (MVSU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Suyash Gupta (ALCN_M) def. Jordan Freeman (MVSU) 6-1, 6-0
4. Nischay Rawal (ALCN_M) def. Rodorious Turner (MVSU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Ivan Matas (ALCN_M) def. James Johnson (MVSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Nuno Rocha (ALCN_M) def. No player (MVSU), by forfeit
 
Women's Tennis
Southern 4, Alcorn 2
Doubles Competition
1. Stephanie Mbaya/Chakanyuka, Tanaka (SUBR) def. Natalia Parchowska/Daria Chemodanova (ALCN_W) 6-4
2. Chirewa, Rufaro/Moore, Darnesha (SUBR) def. Bianca Birkenstock/Anastasia Vaganova (ALCN_W) 6-0
3. Neal, Nicki/Raymond, D'Jeri (SUBR) vs. Marlene Maier/Veronika Pytlikova (ALCN_W) 5-4, unfinished
 
Singles Competition
1. Bianca Birkenstock (ALCN_W) def. Stephanie Mbaya (SUBR) 6-3, 6-4
2. Moore, Darnesha (SUBR) vs. Daria Chemodanova (ALCN_W) 7-5, 6-5, unfinished
3. Chirewa, Rufaro (SUBR) def. Klavdija Bukovec (ALCN_W) 6-1, 6-2
4. Chakanyuka, Tanaka (SUBR) def. Natalia Parchowska (ALCN_W) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Neal, Nicki (SUBR) def. Anastasia Vaganova (ALCN_W) 6-3, 7-6
6. Marlene Maier (ALCN_W) def. Kent, Mia (SUBR) 6-3, 6-4

Women's Tennis
Alcorn 6, Mississippi Valley State 0
Doubles Competition
1. Daria Chemodanova/Natalia Parchowska (ALCN_W) def. Sydney Newport/Mariana Balbao (MVSWT) 6-0
2. Anastasia Vaganova/Bianca Birkenstock (ALCN_W) def. Shaneka Hubbard/Rita Gyasi (MVSWT) 6-0
3. Jailynn May/DeAlma Cole (MVSWT) vs. Marlene Maier/Veronika Pytlikova (ALCN_W) 1-4, unfinished

Singles Competition
1. Bianca Birkenstock (ALCN_W) def. Shaneka Hubbard (MVSWT) 6-0, 6-0
2. Daria Chemodanova (ALCN_W) def. Rita Gyasi (MVSWT) 6-0, 6-0
3. Klavdija Bukovec (ALCN_W) def. Sydney Newport (MVSWT) 6-0, 6-0
4. Natalia Parchowska (ALCN_W) def. Mariana Balbao (MVSWT) 6-0, 6-0
5. Anastasia Vaganova (ALCN_W) def. DeAlma Cole (MVSWT) 6-0, 6-0
6. Jailynn May (MVSWT) vs. Marlene Maier (ALCN_W) 0-6, 0-4, unfinished
 
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