HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Alcorn Women's Tennis continues to seek its first win over a Division I opponent during the spring campaign after dropping a tough 4-0 decision away to Southern Miss on Tuesday afternoon inside Southern Miss Tennis Complex in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Despite the final score, Alcorn (3-11) showed flashes of fight throughout the afternoon, refusing to go quietly against a solid Golden Eagles squad. Several matches were left unfinished after Southern Miss clinched the team victory, meaning a number of Alcorn players were still competing and had not been defeated when the match concluded.
Southern Miss (4-2) got things started with a clean doubles sweep, with the Hannah Chambers / Miranda Xu tandem taking court one 6-0, while the Golden Eagles' the Angelina Blinova / Sakura Sudo pairing claimed court two 6-1. The third doubles match featuring
Katherine Grados and
Natalija Nikolic for Alcorn was still in progress at 4-1 when the doubles point was decided.
In singles, the Braves battled gamely up and down the lineup.
Freshman
Hana Bajramovic was locked in a competitive first-set battle in the top flight position, dropping a tough 7-5 opener before the match was left unfinished with Southern Miss having clinched overall.
The Braves
Natalija Nikolic at court four and
Katherine Grados at court six were also still active when play was called, each with matches very much in progress.
The clinching singles points came at courts three, five, and two – Miranda Xu defeating
Zoe Crimmel 6-1, 6-1; Manuella Persson handling
Taylor Briffa 6-0, 6-2; and Hannah Chambers defeating
Amelia Tatafu 6-2, 6-3.
Alcorn interim head coach
Kersten Vanem-Walker acknowledged the challenges of the non-conference slate while keeping her eyes firmly on what lies ahead when the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) season gets into high gear.
"We're going to keep competing and keep getting better every single day," commented Vanem-Walker afterwards. "Playing tough opponents like Southern Miss, Alabama and Mississippi State in the non-conference is exactly what prepares us for SWAC. These moments are building us. Our kids are fighting, and that's not going to stop when conference play starts."
Women's Tennis is back on the court Friday, Feb. 27, when the Braves welcome Kennesaw State to Halls Ferry Tennis Courts in Vicksburg, Mississippi, for a non-conference match set to begin at 10 a.m.
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COMPLETE RESULTS
Singles Competition
1. Angelina Blinova (USM) vs.
Hana Bajramovic (ALC) 7-5, 5-0, unfinished
2. Hannah Chambers (USM) def.
Amelia Tatafu (ALC) 6-2, 6-3
3. Miranda Xu (USM) def.
Zoe Crimmel (ALC) 6-1, 6-1
4. Gagana Mohan Kumar (USM) vs.
Natalija Nikolic (ALC) 6-1, 5-2, unfinished
5. Manuella Persson (USM) def.
Taylor Briffa (ALC) 6-0, 6-2
6. Celine Mosteanu (USM) vs.
Katherine Grados (ALC) 7-6 (7-1), 0-3, unfinished
Doubles Competition
1. Hannah Chambers/Miranda Xu (USM) def.
Hana Bajramovic/
Amelia Tatafu (ALC) 6-0
2. Angelina Blinova/Sakura Sudo (USM) def.
Zoe Crimmel/Oihane V. Lopez (ALC) 6-1
3. M. Hisashi-Morrissey/Pimmada Lim (USM) vs.
Katherine Grados/
Natalija Nikolic (ALC) 4-1, unfinished
