SAVANNAH, Ga. — Freshmen Josefa Fernandez and Maria Picazo picked up the two team points for the North Carolina Central University women's tennis team in a 5-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southern Division loss to Florida A&M University in a neutral-site showdown that occurred at the Bacon Park Tennis Club early Monday.
 
Fernandez won at both the top singles and doubles positions while Picazo netted her second straight singles win at the fifth position in NCCU's lineup.
 
The Rattlers registered their second straight league win to remain undefeated in conference play. Florida A&M is 2-6 on the season and 2-0 in the MEAC. The Eagles slipped to 2-8 on the campaign and 1-1 in league skirmishes.
 
Fernandez knocked off senior Haleigh Porter in the marquee singles match in straight sets. Fernandez won 6-1, 7-5 to level her singles record in her rookie season to 5-5. The triumph is one of Fernandez' biggest wins of her young collegiate career as it came against a 2019 First Team All-MEAC honoree.
 
Picazo rolled to her conquest of senior Adrienne Clayton, only losing one game in her 6-0, 6-1 victory.
 
Fernandez and Picazo both have flawless 2-0 singles records against conference competition.
 
In doubles, Fernandez partnered with fellow freshman Jade Houston for a 6-4 win. It was their second win as a rookie tandem.
 
The Eagles had a few chances to swing the team score in their favor in a couple of other close matches.
 
At No. 2 doubles, senior Maru Berghaus and Ivana Dragovic had a two chances at match point, but the FAMU duo of senior Rachel Harden and junior Arielle Nealy rallied and eventually won the close contest in a tiebreaker. The 7-6 (2) triumph by Harden and Nealy provided Florida A&M with the doubles team point.
 
Houston played in the only singles match that went three sets and she saw her five match win streak come to an end in a superset tiebreaker to determine the final set. Senior Aylen Hubeaut outlasted Houston by a final score of 7-5, 2-6, 10-7.
 
NC Central will next host Shaw University in a rescheduled match on Friday, March 26 at 1 p.m.