Alcorn suffered a loss before coming back to claim a win Saturday in a rare men's tennis doubleheader, as the Braves took on teams from Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State, respectfully.
Alcorn fell 4-1 to Jackson State at JSU Tennis Center in Jackson, Mississippi, to open the afternoon. But the Braves regrouped to collect a 4-0 win over Mississippi Valley State in a nonconference match at Halls Ferry Tennis Courts in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
MATCH ONE: JACKSON STATE 4, ALCORN 1
JACKSON, Miss. – Jackson State claimed a 4-1 victory over visiting Alcorn in SWAC men's Tennis action Saturday afternoon at JSU Tennis Center, with the Tigers sweeping the doubles competition before winning three of four completed singles matches to improve to 7-12 overall and finish the regular season 3-2 in conference play.
Alcorn falls to 4-18 on the season and ends the regular season 1-4 in SWAC matchups.
Jackson State opened the match claiming the doubles point with wins in two-of-three positions.
The tandem of Chen Hung-Yu and Ching Chang Chiu dispatched Alcorn's
Vicent Llobell Buigues and
Matthew Holl 6-3 at the top spot, while Gokalp Ayar and Fabrizio Fallas closed out
Tomas Grime and
Jorge Prats Navarrete 6-2 at the third position.
Alcorn's team of
Sebastian Griffiths and
Fabian Juarez provided the lone bright spot in doubles, defeating Federico Pickenstainer and Jhoan Vaquero 6-2 at the second position.
The Tigers then carried its momentum into singles play.
Chen Hung-Yu was dominant at the fifth spot, rolling past Grime 6-4, 6-0. Pickenstainer was equally commanding over on court three, dismissing Buigues 6-1, 6-2. Chiu edged Griffiths in a tight contest at the top of the lineup, winning 7-5, 7-6 to clinch the match for the Tigers.
Alcorn's lone singles point came from Juarez, who turned in a prevalent performance in the sixth position, shutting out Fallas in the opening set before closing out a 6-0, 6-4 victory.
Two singles matches at the second and fourth positions were left unfinished once the outcome had been decided, respectfully.
Vaquero held a 2-6, 6-4, 3-3 edge over Holl in the second position, while Ayar led Navarrete 2-6, 6-3, 5-1 at fourth when play was halted.
COMPLETE RESULTS
Singles Competition
1. Ching Chang Chiu (JSU) def.
Sebastian Griffiths (ALC) 7-5, 7-6
2. Jhoan Vaquero (JSU) vs.
Matthew Holl (ALC) 2-6, 6-4, 3-3, unfinished
3. Federico Pickenstainer (JSU) def.
Vicent Llobell Buigues (ALC) 6-1, 6-2
4. Gokalp Ayar (JSU) vs.
Jorge Prats Navarrete (ALC) 2-6, 6-3, 5-1, unfinished
5. Chen Hung-Yu (JSU) def.
Tomas Grime (ALC) 6-4, 6-0
6.
Fabian Juarez (ALC) def. Fabrizio Fallas (JSU) 6-0, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. Chen Hung-Yu/Ching Chang Chiu (JSU) def.
Vicent Llobell Buigues/
Matthew Holl (ALC) 6-3
2.
Sebastian Griffiths/
Fabian Juarez (ALC) def. Federico Pickenstainer/Jhoan Vaquero (JSU) 6-2
3. Gokalp Ayar/Fabrizio Fallas (JSU) def.
Tomas Grime/
Jorge Prats Navarrete (ALC) 6-2
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
MATCH TWO: ALCORN 4, MVSU 0
VICKSBURG, Miss. – Alcorn claimed a dominant 4-0 victory over visiting Mississippi Valley State in men's tennis Saturday at Halls Ferry Tennis Courts, securing the win on the strength of two doubles points – including one by default, before closing out the match with three completed singles results. The match was played as a nonconference affair.
Alcorn finishes the regular season 5-18 overall, while Mississippi Valley State falls to 0-12.
The Braves took command from the opening point.
Jorge Prats Navarrete and
Tomas Grime were awarded the third doubles position by default after Mississippi Valley State could not field a full complement of players, and
Sebastian Griffiths and
Matthew Holl reinforced the advantage with a 6-2 victory over Sibusico Dube and Blessed Kutyauripo at the No. 2 position.
The first doubles match between
Jerry Thomas and
Jeremiah Jones against Joshua Mbasha and Luka Sari was left unfinished at 5-4 once the outcome had been decided.
In singles play, Holl and Navarrete were each predominant, both posting identical 6-0, 6-0 shutouts over Kutyauripo and Ezekial Smoot, respectively, to clinch the match.
Grime was awarded the sixth singles position by default.
Three additional singles matches were halted once the result was secured.
Griffiths held a 6-0, 2-0 lead over Luka Sari on court number three, while
Jerry Thomas trailed Sibusico Dube 3-6, 0-1 at No. 2, and
Jeremiah Jones was down 0-6 to Joshua Mbasha at the top spot when play was called.
The Delta Devils' inability to field a complete roster proved significant, forcing the visitors to forfeit both the sixth singles position and the third doubles position before a ball was struck in those matchups.
Alcorn now takes the No. 5 seed into next week's SWAC Men's Tennis Championships at City Park tennis Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Braves will open the quarterfinals against No. 3 seed Jackson State on Friday, April 17, at 5 p.m.
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COMPLETE RESULTS
Singles Competition
1.
Jeremiah Jones (ALC) vs. Joshua Mbasha (MVSU) 0-6, unfinished
2.
Jerry Thomas (ALC) vs. Sibusico Dube (MVSU) 3-6, 0-1, unfinished
3.
Sebastian Griffiths (ALC) vs. Luka Sari (MVSU) 6-0, 2-0, unfinished
4.
Matthew Holl (ALC) def. Blessed Kutyauripo (MVSU) 6-0, 6-0
5.
Jorge Prats Navarrete (ALC) def. Ezekial Smoot (MVSUM 6-0, 6-0
6.
Tomas Grime (ALC) won by default
Doubles Competition
1.
Jerry Thomas/
Jeremiah Jones (ALC) vs. Joshua Mbasha/Luka Sari (MVSU) 5-4, unfinished
2.
Sebastian Griffiths/
Matthew Holl (ALC) def. Sibusico Dube/Blessed Kutyauripo (MVSU) 6-2
3.
Jorge Prats Navarrete/
Tomas Grime (ALC) won by default
