2019 NCCU Invitational Results/Brackets
DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's tennis team went 5-1 in doubles play, including three straight wins by junior
Polina Sakharova and sophomore
Ivana Dragovic to win the Gray Doubles Flight championship at the fifth annual NCCU Invitational hosted by the Lady Eagles Thursday-Friday at the NCCU Tennis Courts and Elmira Tennis Courts.
Sakharova and Dragovic needed to win a tiebreaker to cap their undefeated play in doubles competition. After the Campbell University freshman duo of Essence Martins and Ciara O'Toole rallied to tie the match and force extra play, Sakharova and Dragovic settled down to win the tiebreaker 7-3 to finish off the championship match, 7-6.
The victorious maroon and gray duo started play in the Gray Flight with a 6-0 triumph over North Carolina A&T State University tandem of junior Mikaya Hamilton and sophomore Marlene Estenssoro. They then won their semifinals bout over a mixed team from East Carolina University and Davidson College, 6-3.
NCCU's other doubles team of senior
Sofia Miller and sophomore
Hannah Gaines went 2-1. They were eliminated from the Maroon Flight main draw by an ECU squad before earning their two wins in consolation drawback play. Miller and Gaines toppled N.C. A&T junior Ameer Robertson and freshman Jaimy Lokoschus, 6-0, and disposed of UNCW junior Sarah Horn and freshman Anna Daniels, 6-2.
All five Lady Eagles lost their quarterfinals singles matches. Miller played in the Maroon Flight, Gaines competed in the Gray Flight, Sakharova saw action in the Eagle Flight, and Dragovic and senior
Jurasia Horvat battled in the Durham Flight.
Sakharova was the closest NCCU player to advance to the semifinals of any flight, going three sets in a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 loss to O'Toole.
A couple Lady Eagles did earn consolation wins Friday afternoon. Gaines notched a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Campbell senior Huda McGraw. Dragovic outlasted ECU junior Sofia Anthony – 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 – in the final NCCU match of the tournament.
The six-team event had 30 players take the court. Both totals are the largest yet for the NCCU Invite.
NC Central will conclude the fall portion of its schedule at the ECU Fall Invitational on Nov. 8-9.
