BOX SCORECAYCE, S.C. – The Eagles built an early 1-0 lead after doubles in South No. 4 seed North Carolina Central University's upset bid but South No. 2 seed Bethune-Cookman University won four of five completed singles matches to rally for the 4-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men's Tennis Championships semifinals victory Saturday evening at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center.
The Wildcats (15-12 Overall) advance to the championship match while the Eagles (11-10 Overall) concluded its historic season with a strong performance in its first MEAC Tennis Championships performance.
NCCU set new program records for wins and win percentage in the program's NCAA Division I era while also breaking numerous individual standards for the Maroon and Gray.
NCCU had a chance at knocking off the higher seed as freshman
Kert Kilumets and sophomore
William East took their No. 1 and No. 3 singles matches, respectively, to decisive third sets but the Wildcats won both close encounters to hold on for the team triumph. Had both young Eagles won or one of them won and senior
Tamina Kienka won his No. 6 singles match (he was leading in the third set at 3-6, 6-1, 2-0), NCCU would have advanced to the championship match.
Senior
Daniil Gerasimov was victorious for the Eagles in singles. Gerasimov (7-5, 6-3) won in straight sets to finish his remarkable final season winning 18 of his 20 singles matches. The Belgorod, Russia resident was named the MEAC Player of the Year and completed his 2015 campaign at 18-2 (.900).
Earlier in the season, B-CU won the doubles point over NCCU in a close 4-3 victory but it was the Eagles that captured the opening point of the semifinal match to scare the favorites.
Kilumets and junior
Thomas Persico remained undefeated paired together winning the No. 3 doubles match 8-4 but an 8-5 win by the Wildcats top doubles tandem put the pressure on the middle match. East and senior
Tamina Kienka built a big lead for NCCU but Diego Garavito and Greg Almeida rallied to force a tiebreaker with four consecutive points. East and Kienka stepped up under pressure and won the race to seven points, 7-4, to give the Maroon and Gray a 1-nil advantage heading to singles.
B'CU's Alvaro Barrera won his No. 4 singles tilt by matching 6-1 scores to tie the match. Kevin Beligny (6-1, 6-0) followed moments later at No. 5 to put the Wildcats in front at 2-1 before the three-set victories by Almeida at No. 3 and Alexander Chepik at No. 1 closed out the seesaw affair.
