The North Carolina A&T tennis team swung into action on Friday, hosting its season opener against the Elon Phoenix at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center.

Despite their intense attitude and hard work, the Aggies were unable to make the key shots when needed, and fell to the Phoenix by a final score of 7-0.  The Aggies (0-1) and the Phoenix (1-1) played very competitive doubles and singles matches, and head coach James Dunwoody was pleased with his team's effort.

Dunwoody noted in the past that a match against Elon would normally take less than an hour.  But today, the Aggies competed for nearly 2 ½ hours.   Not only were the Aggies battling more, but the Phoenix players and coaching staff were also taking the Aggies more seriously than they have in the past.

The Aggies started off in doubles and lost each match, to give Elon the first point of the contest.   Doubles partners April Burrage and Kenya Colbert and Nianna Henry and Kimberly Stalling both lost their respective matches by an 8-2 final. Cayla Cross and Azeib Nigatu lost their match by a score of 8-0 against Katy Canada and Viviana Stavera. 

Stalling started off the Aggies at the No. 1 spot, taking on Bryn Khoury.  She lost by scores of 6-2, 0-6. 

Cross battled Barboa Lazarova, and walked away with a 6-3, 6-0 loss.  Victorea Austin, who got the singles starting nod over freshman Colbert, competed against Briana Berne, and fell, 6-0, 6-0. 

In the fourth spot, Nigatu and Maria Camara Ruiz battled it out.  Nigatu won games in both sets, but lost by 6-2, 6-2.  On the fifth court at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center, Henry took on Canada and lost, 6-0, 6-0.  In the No. 6 spot, Burrage and Kaylyn Smialek competed, and Smialek won, 6-2, 6-2.

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