DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – For the second straight season, the North Carolina Central University women’s tennis team earned a spot in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tennis tournament. The Lady Eagles finished the 2013 regular season with a 13-7 overall record and 5-1 in conference play giving them the No. 2 seed in the Southern Division facing the Northern Division No. 3 seed, Delaware State, on Friday, April 19 at 8:30 a.m. in Raleigh, N.C., at the Millbrook Tennis Center.

The 2013 campaign was a season of firsts for the Lady Eagles as they broke the school record of 11 wins, finishing the regular season with 13 overall. NCCU also finished undefeated at home (6-0) for the first time, 5-1 in the MEAC and a plethora of first time victories.

The Lady Eagles defeated Campbell for the first time in school history (4-3), along with Longwood (6-1), Gardner-Webb (4-3) and Radford (4-3).  

Rookie Aissa Muamba led the way for NCCU with a 17-3 overall singles record during the regular season, while remaining undefeated in MEAC play (6-0). The Laval, Canada native held a 13-match win streak during her freshman campaign, going undefeated on the courts from Feb. 15-March 17. Muamba also saw victories over Appalachian State's No. 4 (6-4, 6-2, 10-7) and East Carolina’s No. 3 (6-2, 6-4), while being named MEAC Rookie of the Week twice during the regular season.

Lone senior Olesya Palko finished her final regular season in maroon and gray 10-9 overall as the Lady Eagles' No. 1 singles player and 4-1 in league play. Palko saw her largest victory of the season as NCCU fell to UNC-Charlotte despite the Kyiv, Ukraine native’s 7-6, (10-8), 7-4 victory. She was also named MEAC Player of the Week during the week of Feb. 27.

Ekaterina Nekrasova also was a major factor in the Lady Eagles' record-breaking season. NCCU’s No. 2 finished the regular season 14-6 overall in singles play and 6-0 in the MEAC, while being named MEAC Player of the Week during the week of March 26.

For more information on the MEAC women’s tennis tournament, log on to www.MEACSports.com