BETHUNE-COOKMAN 4, N.C. CENTRAL 3 (Results)
S.C. STATE 4, N.C. CENTRAL 3 (Results)

FLORENCE, S.C. – The top three singles players for North Carolina Central University went undefeated on Sunday during the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southern Division Round-Up at the Dr. Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center but the Eagles were winless in the bottom half of their singles lineup and in doubles action resulting in a pair of narrow 4-3 losses to Bethune-Cookman University and South Carolina State University.

Freshman Kert Kilumets, senior Daniil Gerasimov and sophomore William East claimed NCCU's three points in each match playing at No. 1-3, respectively.

Gerasimov (7-1) continued a stellar final season with conquests over a pair of 2014 All-MEAC performers in Walid Gtari (BCU) and Martin Figura (SCSU).  The Belgorod, Russia, product has won seven straight matches.

Kilumets (5-3) and East (5-4) extended their win streaks to four apiece.

NCCU now knows it can play amongst the league's best teams taking the two favorites to win the MEAC Southern Division to the brink. The Bulldogs from South Carolina State won the 2014 MEAC Men's Tennis Tournament and were picked to win the Southern Division in the coaches' preseason poll. The Wildcats from Bethune Cookman were the only other team in the Southern Division that received first place votes in the preseason poll are were predicted as the division's runner-up.

Gerasimov was involved in a pair of close doubles tilts with senior partner Fabrice George leading 7-4 against Bethune-Cookman and deadlocked 7-7 against S.C. State when they were both stopped unfinished after the Bulldogs and Wildcats secured the team point by both winning at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.  

The Eagles fourth, fifth and sixth singles players were swept in straight sets both times.  

NCCU next travels to Baltimore, Md., for a pair of duels against MEAC North Division squads on Friday in Coppin State University (2:30 PM) and University of Maryland Eastern Shore (5:00 PM).