DURHAM, N.C. – Freshmen Kennedy Hill and Lafilissa Joao picked up singles wins in the 2021 NCCU Invitational to highlight play for the North Carolina Central University women's tennis team in a pair of individual tournaments on Thursday-Friday, Oct. 21-22.
 
Hill outlasted Campbell sophomore Anna-Marie Kopecka to notch the first maroon and gray victory on Thursday morning. Hill held off Kopecka by a final score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.
 
Joao was leading her match 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 when North Carolina A&T sophomore Florielvis Hurtado retired to seal the second NCCU triumph Thursday afternoon.
 
The Eagles also got a pair of doubles victories on the first day of competition at the NCCU Tennis Courts. Hill partnered with sophomore Maria Picazo for 6-3 triumph over NCAT's Hurtado and junior Marlene Estenssoro. Joao then took the court with fellow freshman Anaiah Jones and they also disposed of the same Aggie tandem by the exact same 6-3 margin to conclude play on Thursday.
 
Hill, Joao, Picazo and Jones were all making their debut in the NCCU Invite, which was being contested in conjunction with the ITA Carolina Regional for a sixth time under the leadership of head coach Tom Schrecengost. All four Eagles suffered straight-set losses on Friday to players from Campbell.
 
Ninety minutes west in Winston-Salem, a pair of Eagles participated in the ITA regional hosted by Wake Forest University. Sophomore Jade Houston dropped her qualifying round match to Davidson freshman Kavya Patel in three sets before being eliminated from the consolation bracket by Wake Forest sophomore Maddy Lynch. Senior Hannah Gaines was knocked out of qualifying by UNCW senior Rachel Marthinsen before falling to Western Carolina senior Jacy Smith in consolation play.
 
Houston and Gaines played two doubles matches together, losing to duos from Duke and UNCW.
 
NC Central will wrap up it its fall slate at the Elon Hidden Duals that is scheduled for Friday-Saturday, Oct. 29-30.
 
NCCU Results at the NCCU Invitational:
 
Singles
Kennedy Hill (NCCU) def. Anna-Marie Kopecka (Campbell), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
Marissa Pennings (Campbell) def. Kennedy Hill (NCCU), 6-3, 6-1
 
Sandra Gines (Campbell) def. Maria Picazo (NCCU), 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
Anna-Marie Kopecka (Campbell) def. Maria Picazo (NCCU), 6-2, 6-3
 
Lafilissa Joao (NCCU) def. Florielvis Hurtado (NCAT), 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (Ret.)
Sandra Gines (Campbell) def. Lafalissa Joao (NCCU), 6-2, 6-3


Marlene Estenssoro (NCAT) def. Anaiah Jones (NCCU), 6-1, 6-0
Sandra Gines (Campbell) def. Anaiah Jones (NCCU), 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles
Kennedy Hill/Maria Picazo (NCCU) def. Florielvis Hurtado/Marlene Estenssoro (NCAT), 6-3
Anna-Marie Kopecka/Marissa Pennings (Campbell) def. Kennedy Hill/Maria Picazo (NCCU), 6-3

Rhona Cook/Mialy Ranaivo (Campbell) def. Anaiah Jones/Lafilissa Joao (NCCU), 6-0
Anaiah Jones/Lafilissa Joao (NCCU) def. Florielvis Hurtado/Marlene Estenssoro (NCAT), 6-3
 
NCCU Results at the ITA Carolina Regional:
 
Singles
Kavya Patel (Davidson) def. Jade Houston (NCCU), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3)
Maddie Lynch (Wake Forest) def. Jade Houston (NCCU), 7-5, 6-3
 
Rachel Marthinsen (UNCW) def. Hannah Gaines (NCCU), 6-0, 6-0
Jacy Smith (WCU) def. Hannah Gaines (NCCU), 7-6 (5), 6-1
 
Doubles
Karolina Berankova/Georgia Drummy (Duke) def. Jade Houston/Hannah Gaines (NCCU), 8-0
Zoe Huffman/Brinley Bell (UNCW) vs. Jade Houston/Hannah Gaines (NCCU), 8-5