MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alcorn State University men's tennis program picked up its second SWAC victory of the season with a convincing 5-0 win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday.
The Braves (3-7, 2-2 SWAC) took care of business against Jackson State in its only match of the first pod in Baton Rouge with
David Pata,
Stojan Stojanovski and
Lucas Dini claiming both a doubles and singles point against JSU.
Match 1 vs. Alabama A&M | L (4-2)
The doubles point started off strong as #1 Pata/Andonov took a back-and-forth match with Panji Setiawan/Rodrigo Arana Rios by a count of 7-5 but the Bulldogs took the final two matches to take the point.
Pata led off singles play in the one slot and kept his excellent season rolling, sweeping Arana Rios (6-2, 6-1).
Former Brave
Gjorgji Popovski won his debut against his former squad in the second slot, defeating Andonov in three (7-6, 6-3, 6-1).
#3 Stojanovski would tie the match once again at two-all, going the distance over Fermin Ruiz Crespo (6-4, 6-2, 6-0).
AAMU won out from there with #4
Kareem Bowe falling to Natiphat Mulada (6-1, 6-0) while #7
Santiago Rocca dropped a competitive matchup with Cheng Chang Yang (6-4. 6-3).
#5
Lucas Dini was holding his own opposite Setiawan as he held a 2-1 lead in the third set but it went unfinished.
Match 2 vs. Mississippi Valley State | W (5-0)
The Purple and Gold put together a perfect match versus the Delta Devils, sweeping every single set they participated in, 6-0.
During doubles action, #1 Pata/Andonov defeated Charles Robinson/Kristopher Bond, #2 Stojanovski/Dini beat Harrington Stutson/Philemon King and #3 Bowe/Rocca handled Antonio Kemp Jr./Akim Richmond.
As for singles competition, #1 Dini took down Robinson, #2 Andonov swept Bond, #3 Stojanovski blanked Harrison Stutson and #4 Bowe capped off the spotless performance over King.
Match 3 vs. Prairie View A&M | L (4-2)
In the final match of the weekend, the men from Lorman dropped the doubles point as a whole but saw the duo of #3 Bowe/Rocca dispatch Caleb Eaton/Tyreese Washington.
Stojanovski and Andonov took care of business in the singles round by topping Juan Malham Viada (6-4, 6-2) and Rodrigo Yoshikata (7-6, 7-6), respectively.
#1 Pata took his matchup down to the final set but came up short opposite Jorge Juarez Caballero (6-2, 7-5, 6-1).
Men's tennis has one more match before the SWAC Championships, a meeting with Alabama State on March 26 at the Sports Force Parks in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
#FearTheBrave
