LORMAN, Miss. – Alcorn Women's Tennis is eager to return home Friday, Feb. 27, when the Braves host Kennesaw State to Halls Ferry Tennis Courts in Vicksburg, Mississippi, for a match beginning at 11 a.m. The match serves as Alcorn's final home match until mid-March, with the Braves having played their last two on the road.
Alcorn (3-11) is coming off back-to-back road losses to Alabama State (0-4) and Southern Miss (0-4), with the ASU match having served as the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener for both programs in Montgomery, Alabama.
BRAVES NOTEBOOK
• The Braves own a 3-11 overall record, picking up all three wins in a five-day stretch between January 30 – February 6, including victories over Copiah-Lincoln CC, Southwest Mississippi CC, and Mississippi Gulf Coast, respectfully.
• In doubles, the team holds a .235 mark (8-26), with the No. 1 doubles spot performing best at .300 (3-7).
• Freshman
Hana Bajramovic leads the team in singles wins with a 3-5 record, competing primarily at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots.
• Alcorn has used eight different doubles combinations this season, showing depth and flexibility in its lineup.
• Fellow rookie
Taylor Briffa has logged the most singles action on the roster at 3-8 and has been a consistent presence at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
•
Amelia Tatafu, another highly-touted freshman for interim head coach
Kersten Vanem-Walker, has played more singles matches than anyone on the roster (11) and is still searching for her first win, showing toughness and resilience competing primarily in the top flight.
QUOTES FROM COACH VANEM-WALKER
"We're really excited to be back on our home court, so to speak. Our players have been grinding through a really tough road stretch, and there's nothing like competing in a familiar environment, and performing a routine as you would any other day at home. We want to make the most of this opportunity and feed off that energy."
"Kennesaw State is going to be a tough opponent. We know that going in. We have a lot of respect for their program, and that's exactly the kind of competition we need to be preparing for. Matches like this are what help us grow."
"I tell our team every single day 'the results don't define who we are or what we're capable of.' We're out there competing hard, learning, and getting better. The spring season is long, and the teams that stay positive and keep working through the tough stretches are the ones that turn things around. I have full belief in this group – and I have said that since match day one."
LAST TIME OUT FOR ALCORN (at Southern 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.
UP NEXT
The Purple and Gold venture to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Southern (La.) will host the first SWAC Pod event of the spring. The Braves will face off against Bethune-Cookman (March 6) and Florida A&M (March 7), respectively.
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