NEW ORLEANS, La. – For the second straight day, the Alcorn State University women's tennis program took down a higher seed as the fifth-seeded Lady Braves eliminated second-seeded Prairie View A&M 4-2 in the semifinals of the SWAC Championships on Saturday at the Pepsi Tennis Center.
It came after Alcorn ousted third-seeded Alabama A&M 4-3 in the quarterfinals Friday.
The Lady Braves started the match strong Saturday by winning the doubles point. The teams of senior
Ammaarah Tim and freshman
Stefany Grlj, and senior
Bianca Birkenstock and junior
Anastasia Vaganova both posted 6-3 results at No. 1 and 2 doubles, respectively.
"The doubles was very competitive and very windy, but our girls managed to find a way to win. We're playing at our highest level right now and we've been getting better and better every time we take the court," said Alcorn head coach
Barbara Oliveira.
The Panthers took a 2-1 lead in singles after winning at No. 5 and 6. The Lady Braves tied it up with Vaganova's 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 2. Vaganova, a two-time All-Conference First-Team selection, won her seventh consecutive singles match.
Alcorn regained the lead 3-2 on a victory by Grlj. She finished off Lucia Garcia 7-6, 7-6 on the No. 1 court. It was Grlj's sixth consecutive singles victory.
The Lady Braves clinched the match at No. 4 singles with a win by Tim. She battled to a three-set 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Jessica Lackey.
"I have a lot of confidence in our team and I believe we can win the conference tomorrow. Our girls have shown a lot of fight all year and I'm very proud of what they've done so far," Oliveira said.
The finals will be a rematch of last year as the Lady Braves will go up against top-seeded Alabama State at 9 a.m. Sunday. Alcorn is playing for its fifth women's tennis championship in school history and the first since 2016.
No. 5 Alcorn 4, No. 2 Prairie View A&M 2
Doubles Competition
1.
Stefany Grlj/
Ammaarah Tim (ALCW) def. Neharika Rama/Constanza Aranguiz (PVAMUW) 6-3
2.
Anastasia Vaganova/
Bianca Birkenstock (ALCW) def. Jessica Lackey/Mahogani Green (PVAMUW) 6-3
3. Jimena Castellanos/Claudia Medina (PVAMUW) def.
Klavdija Bukovec/
Veronika Pytlikova (ALCW) 6-3
Singles Competition
1.
Stefany Grlj (ALCW) def. Lucia Garcia (PVAMUW) 7-6, 7-6
2.
Anastasia Vaganova (ALCW) def. Neharika Rama (PVAMUW) 7-5, 6-1
3. Jimena Castellanos (PVAMUW) vs.
Bianca Birkenstock (ALCW) unfinished
4.
Ammaarah Tim (ALCW) def. Jessica Lackey (PVAMUW) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
5. Constanza Aranguiz (PVAMUW) def.
Klavdija Bukovec (ALCW) 6-2, 6-4
6. Claudia Medina (PVAMUW) def.
Veronika Pytlikova (ALCW) 6-2, 6-0
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