DURHAM, N.C. – Sophomore
Maria Picazo and freshman
Isabelle Exsted teamed up for a doubles win and then they both won in singles to lead the North Carolina Central University women's tennis team to a 5-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) home victory over Norfolk State University on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore No. 2
Jade Houston, freshman No. 5
Lafi Joao and senior No. 6
Hannah Gaines also won in singles for the victorious Eagles.
NCCU improved to 4-12 on the season and 2-4 against conference competition. Norfolk State slipped to 2-11 and 1-4.
Picazo and Exsted started their day with a flawless 6-0 doubles win. It was their first win together.
However, the Spartans won the first and third doubles matches to secure the first team point.
Houston (6-8) leveled the match for the maroon and gray with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph. Picazo (7-8) then provided NCCU with its first lead by winning on court three with matching 6-1 set victories.
The Spartans were able to even the score briefly at 2-2 as freshman Aleksandra Evdokimova secured the lone singles win for the visitors atop NSU's lineup.
Exsted (6-7) regained the NCCU lead for good with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph at the fourth slot in the maroon and gray lineup. Joao (6-9) then clinched the team victory with a 6-2, 6-0 win. Gaines, who was only playing her third singles match of the spring due to injury, finished off the day with her first win of the campaign by a score of 6-2, 6-1.
NC Central will next play a rescheduled non-conference match at Campbell University on Wednesday, April 6 at 2 p.m.
