BOX SCORE

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. – Sophomore William East won a thrilling three-set singles match to secure the clinching fourth team point in favor of North Carolina Central University in a close 4-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory over Florida A&M University on Friday afternoon at the Waccamaw Regional Tennis Center.

The Eagles (3-4 Overall, 1-0 MEAC) have won three of their last four matches and open league play in the win column.

NCCU started out winning doubles but FAMU's fourth singles player Courage Okungbowa quickly tied the match with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 triumph.

A pair of straight set wins by freshman Kert Kilumets (6-4, 6-4) and senior Daniil Gerasimov (6-2, 7-5) atop the Eagles lineup got NCCU within one point of the team victory. Kilumets improved to 2-3 in his rookie season while Gerasimov boasts a team-best 4-1 singles record with his fourth consecutive 'W' after knocking off a 2014 All-MEAC honoree in FAMU's Carlos Agustin Waitman.

East took an early lead in his critical third tier match winning a tight first set 7-5 but his opposition in Walner Espinoza fought back for a 6-3 win in the second set to tie the battle. East (2-4) responded with his strongest play of the match winning the decisive third set 6-3.

The Rattlers won all three singles matches in the bottom half of the lineup in straight sets.

In doubles action, Gerasimov teamed up with senior Fabrice George for strong 8-3 win at No. 2 and Kilumets joined forces with senior Tamina Kienka for a close 8-6 conquest at No. 3. The top doubles match went unfinished after the Eagles seized the team point.

NCCU will play two more matches in South Carolina to conclude the MEAC Southern Division Round-Up in Florence on Sunday with duel's against Bethune-Cookman University (10 AM) and South Carolina State University (3 PM).