LORMAN, Miss. – Freshman
Lucas Dini won both a singles and doubles match to highlight the home-opener for the Alcorn State University tennis programs on Friday against Eastern Illinois at the Alcorn Tennis Courts.
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The Braves dropped the overall match 5-2, while the Lady Braves fell 4-0. Both teams were playing shorthanded.
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Dini got his day started by teaming up with sophomore
Santiago Rocca. The duo topped Gage Kingsmith and Cameron Slabbert 6-4 at No. 2 doubles.
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The doubles point came down to the top position where EIU barely squeaked out a win in a 7-6 tiebreak over the Macedonian duo of senior
Gjorgji Popovski and junior
Stojan Stojanovski.
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In singles, Dini made quick work of Slabbert 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3 singles.
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The Braves notched another victory at No. 1 singles as Popovski won a back-and-forth battle over Freddie O'Brien 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. It was a big win for Popovski as O'Brien is a two-time All-Conference selection in the Ohio Valley.
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On the women's side, a couple of highly contested singles matches at the top went unfinished since EIU clinched the overall match. Sophomore
Stefany Grlj lost the first set 6-2 but was up 3-2 in the second at No. 1 singles. At the No. 2 spot, senior
Alessandra Maganuco trailed 6-4 before the second set began.
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The Braves will look to bounce back tomorrow when they travel to UL-Lafayette for a 12 p.m. start. The Lady Braves will take on Tulane at 11 a.m. Sunday.
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Men's Tennis
Eastern Illinois 5, Alcorn 2
Doubles Competition
1. KYRILLOU, Christos/HERNANDEZ, Daniel (EIU) def.
Gjorgji Popovski/
Stojan Stojanovski (ALCNM) 7-6
2.
Lucas Dini/
Santiago Rocca (ALCNM) def. KINGSMITH, Gage/SLABBERT, Cameron (EIU) 6-4
3. O'BRIEN, Freddie/CHARBONNEAU, Logan (EIU) won by forfeit
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Singles Competition
1.
Gjorgji Popovski (ALCNM) def. O'BRIEN, Freddie (EIU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
2. HERNANDEZ, Daniel (EIU) def.
Stojan Stojanovski (ALCNM) 6-4, 6-3
3.
Lucas Dini (ALCNM) def. SLABBERT, Cameron (EIU) 6-1, 6-2
4. RIERA, Pau (EIU) def.
Kareem Bowe (ALCNM) 6-3, 6-4
5. CHARBONNEAU, Logan (EIU) def.
Santiago Rocca (ALCNM) 6-3, 6-3
6. EIU won by forfeit
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Women's Tennis
Eastern Illinois 4, Alcorn 0
Doubles Competition
1. PAPAVASILOPOULOS, R./GOUWS, Christine (EIU-W) def.
Stefany Grlj/
Alessandra Maganuco (ALCNW) 6-4
2. CONTRERAS, Karla/STEVEN, Brittany (EIU-W) def.
Barbara Cabo/
Sofia Ievleva (ALCNW) 6-0
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Singles Competition
1.
Stefany Grlj (ALCNW) vs. GOUWS, Christine (EIU-W) 2-6, 3-2, unfinished
2.
Alessandra Maganuco (ALCNW) vs. CONTRERAS, Karla (EIU-W) 4-6, unfinished
3. KAVTARADEZ, Esa (EIU-W) def.
Barbara Cabo (ALCNW) 6-1, 6-0
4. ELLIS, Lauren (EIU-W) def.
Sofia Ievleva (ALCNW) 6-1, 6-0
5.
Olecia James (ALCNW) vs. LOONEY, Shaianne (EIU-W), did not start
6. EIU won by forfeit
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#FearTheBrave
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