BATON ROUGE, La. – A very tough morning just didn't end in favor of the Alcorn State University tennis programs against Prairie View A&M, but the women's team bounced back to win 4-1 over Grambling State on Saturday at Highland Park Tennis Courts.
The Braves fell to PVAMU 4-2 and Lady Braves 4-3.
Due to rain, matches against Jackson State and Alabama State were canceled.
For the Lady Braves, juniors
Bianca Birkenstock and
Marlene Maier went 2-0 in singles. Birkenstock, who played No. 1 singles, defeated Stacy Lackey from PVAMU 7-6, 6-2. She followed it up with a comeback 4-6, 6-2, 10-5 victory over Bryttish Burts from GSU.
Maier ousted PVAMU's Shaddae Findley 6-4, 7-6 at No. 5 singles. She then beat GSU's Danna Galeano in a tight 6-3, 3-6, 11-9 decision.
Alcorn's third victory against PVAMU came at No. 3 singles where sophomore
Alessandra Maganuco (ALCNW) cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Jimena Duran-Castell.
Due to the threat of rain, the team's agreed to play singles first and only play doubles if needed to break a 3-3 tie. The Panthers were able to pull out the doubles point after wins at the No. 2 and 3 spots.
In the afternoon match, sophomore
Anastasia Vaganova responded from a slow start to come back and top GSU's Idah Longwe 1-6, 6-1, 10-6 at No. 4 singles. Sophomore
Veronika Pytlikova also registered a win at No. 6 singles with a straight-set 6-4, 6-4 victory over Tanyaradzwa Magunje.
On the men's side, senior
Kert Kilumets continued to hold it down at No. 1 singles with a lopsided 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ulrick Boyogueno. Kilumets, the 2017 SWAC Player of the Year, has never lost a SWAC singles match in his two years at Alcorn.
Also picking up a victory, freshman
Johnatan Parat grabbed a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles. He beat PVAMU's Anirudh Yadav.
The women will be back in action next Saturday when they travel to Mississippi State for a 3 p.m. start. The men will have some time off from competition before hosting West Alabama on Wednesday, March 7 at 2 p.m.
Women's Tennis
PVAMU 4, Alcorn 3
Singles Competition
1.
Bianca Birkenstock (ALCNW) def. Stacy Lackey (PVAM) 7-6, 6-2
2. Neharika Rama (PVAM) def.
Ammaarah Tim (ALCNW) 7-6, 6-1
3.
Alessandra Maganuco (ALCNW) def. Jimena Duran-Castell (PVAM) 6-3, 6-0
4. Constanza Aranguiz (PVAM) def.
Anastasia Vaganova (ALCNW) 6-2, 6-3
5.
Marlene Maier (ALCNW) def. Shaddae Findley (PVAM) 6-4, 7-6
6. Timara Maxwell (PVAM) def.
Klavdija Bukovec (ALCNW) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. Neharika Rama/Constanza Aranguiz (PVAM) vs.
Bianca Birkenstock/
Ammaarah Tim (ALCNW) unfinished
2. Shaddae Findley/Tatiana Ruhl (PVAM) def.
Alessandra Maganuco/
Anastasia Vaganova (ALCNW) 6-1
3. Stacy Lackey/Timara Maxwell (PVAM) def.
Marlene Maier/
Klavdija Bukovec (ALCNW) 6-3
Women's Tennis
Alcorn 4, Grambling 1
Singles Competition
1.
Bianca Birkenstock (ALCNW) def. Bryttish Burts (GRAM) 4-6, 6-2, 10-5
2.
Ammaarah Tim (ALCNW) vs. Keren Hap. Muswere (GRAM) 3-6, 6-4, unfinished
3. Yuliia Popova (GRAM) def.
Alessandra Maganuco (ALCNW) 6-2, 6-4
4.
Anastasia Vaganova (ALCNW) def. Idah Longwe (GRAM) 1-6, 6-1, 10-6
5.
Marlene Maier (ALCNW) def. Danna Galeano (GRAM) 6-3, 3-6, 11-9
6.
Veronika Pytlikova (ALCNW) def. Tanyaradzwa Magunje (GRAM) 6-4, 6-4
Men's Tennis
PVAMU 4, Alcorn 2
Singles Competition
1.
Kert Kilumets (ALCNM) def. Ulrick Boyogueno (PVAM) 6-0, 6-1
2. Xavier Lawerence (PVAM) def.
Stojan Stojanovski (ALCNM) 7-5, 6-2
3.
Johnatan Parat (ALCNM) def. Anirudh Yadav (PVAM) 6-1, 6-4
4. Taqel Lewis (PVAM) def.
Suyash Gupta (ALCNM) 6-1, 6-2
5. Zach Suico (PVAM) def.
Ivan Matas (ALCNM) 6-2, 6-2
6. Kevin Ugarteche (PVAM) def.
Nuno Rocha (ALCNM) 6-4, 6-4
#FearTheBrave
