BOX SCORE

NORFOLK, Va. – Sophomore First Team All-MEAC honoree Gabriel Cucalon was part of both North Carolina Central University points in a 4-2 quarterfinals loss to Norfolk State University in the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men's Tennis Championships Thursday afternoon at Old Dominion's Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center.
 
The Spartans, who are the No. 2 seed from the Northern Division, rallied to win four singles matches after losing doubles to advance past the Southern third-seeded Eagles. Norfolk State (4-8 Overall) will next play the top seed from the Southern Division in South Carolina State University in the semifinals on Friday.
 
NCCU ended its season at 7-15 overall. The Eagles loss was only their third out of eight dual matches against conference member opposition (5-3).
 
The maroon and gray grabbed the 1-nil advantage after winning the top two doubles flights by matching 6-2 scores. Cucalon paired with freshman Maksym Konovalov in the top draw while sophomore Davide Callegari and freshman Theofanis Kontopoulos won on the second court. Callegari and Kontopoulos finished the season 11-6 together, including a flawless 8-0 ledger against league foes.
 
Cucalon netted NCCU's second and final point in the marquee singles bout. He toppled Andres Alcaraz by a 6-4, 6-4 score. Cucalon concluded his second season with a team-high 13-8 record.
 
Kontopoulos was in a tight unfinished No. 2 singles battle with Vini da Silva, with the two players trading the first 25 games when the match was stopped.
 
NSU won the bottom four singles matches in straight sets to complete its rally.