CARY, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University men's tennis team was defeated 4-0 by South Carolina State University in the 2023 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tennis Championship final at Cary Tennis Park on Saturday afternoon.

The action began in doubles where All-MEAC Second Team selection Sebastian Pino paired with sophomore Oliver Saarinen was beaten by Aissa Benchakroun and Benjamin Niv 6-2. 

Junior Shaka Cristellotti teamed up with freshman Liam Murtaugh and was clipped by Novak Nokavic and Mikalai Bankou 6-1, while All-MEAC Second Team member Kareem

Abdul Hakim and freshman Naresh Bharathy's match with Pedro Sasso and Rostislav Haflinger went unfinished.

In singles competition, All-MEAC Second Team selection Facundo Olmedo fell to Sasso 6-1, 6-0, Cristellotti was beaten by Niv 6-1, 6-2, and Abdul Hakim was defeated by Bankou 6-0, 6-2.

Bharathy, Pino, and Sarrinen's singles matches went unfinished.

NCCU (8-16) earned the most wins since the 2014-15 campaign (11-10) and reached the MEAC Championship match for the first time in the Division I era. 

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