Cary, N.C., April 25, 2024 – The No. 1 Bulldogs and No. 2 Hornets advance to the 2024 MEAC Women’s Tennis Championships after defeating their semifinal opponents. South Carolina State and Delaware State will play for the championship title on Saturday, April 26, for a 9 a.m. start time, airing live on ESPN+. 

No. 1 South Carolina State defeats No. 4 Morgan State 4-0 

The Bulldogs of South Carolina State defeated the Bears of Morgan State 4-0 to reach the MEAC Women’s Tennis Championship match.  

Doubles action began with SCSU’s Chursina/Hind facing off against Hall/Smith from MSU at No. 1 doubles. The Bulldogs did not relinquish a game winning 6-0 over the Bears.  

MSU’s Jankovic/Mitchell returned the favor responding with a 6-0 sweep over the Bulldog duo of Berjane/Mahbouli. 

In the determining doubles match, SCSU’s Silva/Vujcic matched up against MSU’s Evdokimova/Moysiadi at No. 3 doubles. Following multiple lead exchanges, the teams tied 4-4 before S.C. State took a 5-4 lead. Morgan trailed the tenth game 40-15, but won the next three consecutive rallies to tie the score again at 5-5 forcing a seven-game series. SCSU won back-to-back games claiming a 7-5 win giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead heading into singles.  

At No. 5 singles Feriel Mahbouli (SCSU) defeated Stefania Moysiadi (MSU) 6-1 in both sets putting the Bulldogs ahead 2-0.  

SCSU improved to 3-0 when Chursina defeated Evdokimova at No. 1 singles 6-1, 6-4, while Hind won the No. 2 singles match 6-2, 6-4 against Smith clinching the match for South Carolina State, 4-0. 

MSU’s Jankovic and SCSU’s Teixeira split the first two sets at No. 4 singles before the match was abandoned. Teixeira won the first set 6-2, then dropped the second set 6-4 to Jankovic.  

Moysiadi (MSU) lead Mahbouli (SCSU) at No. 6 singles after going 7-5 in the first set. Mahbouli was ahead 2-0 in the second set before the match was called. 

Berjane (SCSU) matched up against Hall (MSU) at No. 3 singles. The first set extended to a seven-game tiebreaker, where Berjane won 7-5, while also leading the second set 2-0 in an unfinished match. 

No. 2 Delaware State defeats No. 3 Howard 4-2 

The Hornets of Delaware State defeated the Bison of Howard 4-2 to reach the MEAC Women’s Tennis Championship match. 

Delaware State won the first team-point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.  At No. 1 doubles, Jula/Kuehnle defeated Jean/Pegram 6-3, while Au-Yeung/Lui defeated Butcher/Hall 6-2 at No. 3 doubles.   

Moving into singles action, Howard gained their first team-point with a win at No. 6 singles as Jean defeated Mitolo 6-1 in both sets. 

Howard claimed their second team-point at No. 2 singles after Delaware State's Au-Yeung retired due to injury in the second set. Howard’s Jordan Grayson was ahead in the match after winning the first set 6-3 and led 3-2 in the second. 

No. 1 singles pitted Butcher (HOW) against Kuehnle in a three-set thriller. Butcher won the first set, 6-1, but Kuehnle took the second set 6-2. In the third set between the two, Kuehnle took a 5-1 lead before Butcher made three game run, trailing 5-4. Kuehnle won the final game to close the set 6-4, evening the team score at two points each. 

At No. 4 singles, Lui from DSU matched up against Chambers from Howard. Lui won the first set 6-1, and the second set 7-6 (6-3) in an extended seven game tiebreaker. 

With No. 3 singles and No. 5 singles left remaining, Delaware State led the match 3-2. At No. 3 singles, Jula (DSU) won the first set 6-2 against Pegram (HOW), before Pegram made a second set comeback to win 7-5 in an extended set. Jula won the third set 6-4 to clinch the final point for Delaware State in a 4-2 victory. 

At No. 5 singles, Delaware State and Howard split the first two sets, with the Bison’s Stibbins winning the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6. The Hornet’s Lisovska won the second set 6-3. Stibbins lead the third set 4-3 before the match was ruled unfinished. 

The Hornets will face the Lady Bulldogs on Saturday, April 27, at 9:00 a.m. in the MEAC Women’s Tennis Championship match. The awarding of the trophy and All-Tournament honors will follow immediately after the final point is scored.