Lady Braves Upset Southern 4-2, Braves Beat AAMU 4-1 to Advance to Semifinals
Women's Tennis |

Lady Braves Upset Southern 4-2, Braves Beat AAMU 4-1 to Advance to Semifinals

NEW ORLEANS – Both the Alcorn State University men's and women's tennis programs won quarterfinal matches Friday in the SWAC Championships as the Lady Braves took down Southern 4-2, and the men topped Alabama A&M 4-1 at the Pepsi Tennis Center.
 
It was looking bleak for the fifth-seeded Lady Braves after they dropped the doubles point to third-seeded Southern. Though, Alcorn stormed back in singles to keep its season alive.
 
The Lady Braves won one of the three doubles matches as junior Ammaarah Tim and sophomore Alessandra Maganuco posted a 6-1 victory at the No. 2 spot. However, the Jaguars won the No. 1 and 3 positions to grab an early 1-0 lead.
 
The rally started in singles as junior Marlene Maier, an All-Conference selection, posted a quick 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 6 singles. Tim and sophomore Anastasia Vaganova followed suit with a 6-3, 6-1 and a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 2 and 5 singles, respectively.
 
The match clincher came at No. 3 singles where Maganuco pulled out a 6-4, 6-4 result over Tanaka Chakanyuka.
 
On the men's side, a closely contested doubles point went in Alcorn's favor to get the fourth-seeded Braves off to a good start. Senior Kert Kilumets and freshman Stojan Stojanovski won 6-1 at the top spot, but the sixth-seeded Bulldogs won at the No. 2 position 6-4. It came down to No. 3 where junior Nuno Rocha and sophomore Ivan Matas gutted out a 6-4 victory to earn the doubles point.
 
In singles, the Braves remained strong at the top. Kilumets, the two-time SWAC Player of the Year winner who has never lost to a SWAC opponent, defeated Nishangan Nadaraja 6-1, 6-4 at the No. 1 slot.
 
At No. 2 singles, Stojanovski cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Carlos Salas. Stojanovski is an All-Conference honoree.
 
Alcorn wrapped it up with a victory at No. 3 singles. Freshman Johnatan Parat held on to beat Cristian Bigott 6-3, 7-5.
 
With the wins, the Lady Braves will face second-seeded Prairie View A&M at noon Saturday. The Braves will go up against top-seeded Alabama State at 4 p.m. Saturday. Both matches have been moved indoors to the Hilton Riverside.
 
Men's Tennis
Alcorn 4, Alabama A&M 1
Singles Competition
1. Kert Kilumets (ALCN) def. Nishangan Nadaraja (AAMU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Stojan Stojanovski (ALCN) def. Carlos Salas (AAMU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Johnatan Parat (ALCN) def. Cristian Bigott (AAMU) 6-3, 7-5
4. Ivan Matas (ALCN) vs. Mateo Monroy (AAMU) 4-6, 6-6, unfinished
5. Fermin Ruiz (AAMU) def. Suyash Gupta (ALCN) 6-3, 6-4
6. Nuno Rocha (ALCN) vs. Shakir Elvin (AAMU) unfinished
 
Doubles Competition
1. Kert Kilumets/Stojan Stojanovski (ALCN) def. Nishangan Nadaraja/Shakir Elvin (AAMU) 6-1
2. Cristian Bigott/Mateo Monroy (AAMU) def. Johnatan Parat/Suyash Gupta (ALCN) 6-4
3. Ivan Matas/Nuno Rocha (ALCN) def. Fermin Ruiz/Carlos Salas (AAMU) 6-4
 
Women's Tennis
Alcorn 4, Southern 2
Singles Competition
1. Rufaro Chirewa (SUBR) def. Bianca Birkenstock (ALCN) 6-2, 6-1
2. Ammaarah Tim (ALCN) def. Stephanie Mbaya (SUBR) 6-3, 6-1
3. Alessandra Maganuco (ALCN) def. Tanaka Chakanyuka (SUBR) 6-4, 6-4
4. D'Jeri Raymond (SUBR) vs. Klavdija Bukovec (ALCN) unfinished
5. Anastasia Vaganova (ALCN) def. Nicki Neal (SUBR) 6-1, 6-3
6. Marlene Maier (ALCN) def. Mia Kent (SUBR) 6-1, 6-1
 
Doubles Competition
1. Stephanie Mbaya/Tanaka Chakanyuka (SUBR) def. Bianca Birkenstock/Anastasia Vaganova (ALCN) 6-2
2. Alessandra Maganuco/Ammaarah Tim (ALCN) def. Rufaro Chirewa/Nicki Neal (SUBR) 6-1
3. Mia Kent/D'Jeri Raymond (SUBR) def. Marlene Maier/Klavdija Bukovec (ALCN) 6-1
 
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