Braves Take Down Bethune-Cookman

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alcorn Women's Tennis took a 4-2 win from Bethune-Cookman on Friday afternoon as the Braves finished up the first of two matches on the weekend for Alcorn as part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Pod #1 event hosted by Alabama State at Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center on the campus of Alabama State.
 
Alcorn (4-12, 1-1 SWAC) wasted little time asserting itself, riding a commanding doubles performance that set the foundation for the afternoon's result. Of the three doubles matchups, Alcorn claimed two outright and received a third by default.
 
"This means everything to me and to this team," stated Interim Head Coach Kersten Vanem-Walker afterwards. "These young women have worked incredibly hard, and to get that first SWAC win is something I'm going to cherish. But more importantly, I think this is a statement about what this program is capable of."
 
The first doubles point went to Bethune-Cookman, as the tandem of Maria Romero Vargas and Rosalida Asumwa handled Alcorn's Amelia Tatafu and Hana Bajramovic with a 6-3 decision.
 
The Braves answered in the second doubles position, using the pairing of Natalija Nikolic and Katherine Grados to dispatch Bethune-Cookman's Zahara El-Zein and Jalayah Shaw by a 6-1 margin. The Wildcats were unable to field a full squad for the third doubles position, handing Alcorn's Oihane Villanueva Lopez and Zoe Crimmel a victory by default.
 
In singles play, BCU again could not field a player, this time at No. 6. Alcorn's Katherine Grados was awarded the point, extending Alcorn's lead at 2-0.
 
Court four saw the Wildcats' Rosalida Asumwa deliver a dominant showing, defeating Alcorn's Oihane Villanueva Lopez 6-0, 6-4. In No. 2 singles, Bethune-Cookman's Maria Romero Vargas – the other half of BCU's winning doubles duo, battled back from a first-set loss to defeat Alcorn's Amelia Tatafu 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
 
The No. 3 position went to Alcorn's Zoe Crimmel in a hard-fought three-setter over Bethune-Cookman's Zahara El-Zein, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Crimmel dropped the opening set but regrouped, taking the second set decisively before holding on through a tight final set to secure a critical point for the Braves.
 
Court five featured another three-set battle, this one decided in favor of Alcorn's Natalija Nikolic over BCU's Taylor O'Neal, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5. Similar to Crimmel, Nikolic fell in the opening set before turning the match around, winning the second set emphatically and grinding through a competitive third set to close out the win. Nikolic's performance paired with Crimmel's gave Alcorn back-to-back three-set victories in the later positions.
 
"Crimmel and Nikolic – those girls fight," continued Vanem-Walker. "They both dropped the first set, and a lot of players let that get into their heads. They went right back to work, and they found a way to win. That's the culture we're building here, and today showed that it's starting to take hold."
 
Alcorn takes on Florida A&M on Saturday, March 7, back at the SWAC Pod #1. A match time will be announced later in the evening.
 
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COMPLETE RESULTS
Singles Competition
1. Hana Bajramovic (ALC) vs. Jalayah Shaw (BCU) 6-7 (7-9), 3-3, unfinished
2. Maria Romero Vargas (BCU) def. Amelia Tatafu (ALC) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
3. Zoe Crimmel (ALC) def. Zahara El-Zein (BCU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
4. Rosalida Asumwa (BCU) def. Oihane Villanueva Lopez (ALC) 6-0, 6-4
5. Natalija Nikolic (ALC) def. Taylor O'Neal (BCU) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
6. Katherine Grados (ALC) def. No player (BCU), by default
 
Doubles Competition
1. Maria Romero Vargas/Rosalida Asumwa (BCU) def. Amelia Tatafu/Hana Bajramovic (ALC) 6-3
2. Natalija Nikolic/Katherine Grados (ALC) def. Zahara El-Zein/Jalayah Shaw (BCU) 6-1
3. Oihane Villanueva Lopez/Zoe Crimmel (ALC) def. No player/No player (BCU), by default