Alcorn Women Drop SWAC Opener at Alabama State

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alcorn Women's Tennis was unable to open the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) season with a win Sunday afternoon as the visiting Braves dropped a 4-0 decision away to Alabama State at Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
Alcorn (3-10, 0-1 SWAC) struggled to find answers against Alabama State squad (2-4, 1-0 SWAC), dropping both completed doubles matches and all three completed singles matches before the result was sealed.
 
The Braves were unable to generate momentum in doubles play, where Oihane Villanueva Lopez and Zoe Crimmel fell 6-2 to the Alabama State tandem of Kesmat El Tawil and Senna Van Den Heuvel at the No. 2 position. Taylor Briffa and Natalija Nikolic were shut out 6-0 at No. 3 by the Hornets' Jovana Petrovic and Alexia Campagna.
 
The No. 1 doubles match featuring Amelia Tatafu and Hana Bajramovic was left unfinished after Alabama State clinched the doubles point.
 
In singles play, Alcorn's best resistance came from Briffa, who dropped a competitive 6-3, 6-1 decision at the No. 6 position to Petrovic. Nikolic fell 6-0, 6-4 to Van Den Heuvel at No. 5, and Tatafu was defeated 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 by El Tawil. The matches featuring Bajramovic, Crimmel, and Lopez were left unfinished once Alabama State clinched the team victory.
 
Alcorn head coach Kersten acknowledged the difficulty of the stretch but remained focused on the bigger picture.
 
"It's been a long season, and there have been some tough matches, but I'm incredibly proud of how these young women continue to compete and show up for each other," expressed Alcorn interim head coach Kersten Vanem-Walker. "We're going to keep working, keep grinding, and stay positive. There's a lot of tennis left to be played, and I believe in this group."
 
The Purple and Gold look to turn things around in Alcorn's next match away to Southern Miss on Tuesday, Feb. 24, in Hattiesburg beginning at 2 p.m.
 
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COMPLETE RESULTS
Singles Competition
1. Diana Craciun (ASU) vs. Hana Bajramovic (ALC) 6-2, 4-0, unfinished
2. Kesmat El Tawil (ASU) def. Amelia Tatafu (ALC) 6-2, 6-2
3. Melisa Mekic (ASU) vs. Zoe Crimmel (ALC) 6-2, 5-1, unfinished
4. Alexia Campagna (ASU) vs. Oihane V. Lopez (ALC) 6-2, 5-0, unfinished
5. Senna Van Den Heuvel (ASU) def. Natalija Nikolic (ALC) 6-0, 6-4
6. Jovana Petrovic (ASU) def. Taylor Briffa (ALC) 6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles Competition
1. Diana Craciun/Melisa Mekic (ASU) vs. Amelia Tatafu/Hana Bajramovic (ALC) 4-3, unfinished
2. Kesmat El Tawil/Senna Van Den Heuvel (ASU) def. Oihane V. Lopez/Zoe Crimmel (ALC) 6-2
3. Jovana Petrovic/Alexia Campagna (ASU) def. Taylor Briffa/Natalija Nikolic (ALC) 6-0