SAVANNAH, Ga. — Junior Sofia Miller and freshman Hannah Gaines won in both singles and doubles to guide the North Carolina Central University women's tennis team to a 6-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division win over Bethune-Cookman University at the Bacon Park Tennis Club Sunday afternoon.
 
The Lady Eagles improve to 6-9 on the season and 2-1 in the league win. NCCU was picked to finish fourth in the Southern Division of the MEAC's preseason poll, one spot behind Bethune-Cookman (3-8, 1-1). The Lady Eagles victory over the Wildcats is the first since beating BCU in the spring of 2013.
 
NCCU got on the board first with a pair of 6-4 wins in doubles. Gaines victoriously partnered with sophomore Frida Cnossen at No. 1 while Miller successfully teamed up with junior Emily Pena at No. 3.
 
Miller/Pena moved over .500 on the season together at 7-6 while Gaines/Cnossen leveled their pairs mark to 6-6.
 
The maroon and gray won four singles matches in straight sets to clinch the victory.
 
Sophomore No. 2 Maru Berghaus knocked off a 2018 All-MEAC performer in sophomore Rehaana Butt by matching 6-4 set scores for her third straight win. Miller won in the fourth position in the lineup by a score of 6-4, 6-2. Sophomore Polina Sakharova had the most lopsided margin of victory with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph at No. 5. Freshman No. 6 Ivana Dragovic needed to win a second-set tiebreaker so seal her fourth consecutive victory as she prevailed 6-2, 7-6 with an extended 14-12 tiebreaker win.
 
Gaines picked up the last NCCU point in three sets. The reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week rallied from a first set deficit to win 2-6, 6-4, 10-4.  
 
Freshman Michelle Ncube prevented the Wildcats from being shutout with a 6-2, 6-3 win atop BCU's lineup.
 
NC Central will conclude the three-day, three-match road swing with a MEAC Southern Division affair against Savannah State University on Monday at 10 a.m.