CARY, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University men's tennis team had two doubles teams face each other in the championship round of the inaugural Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Invitational on Sunday at the Cary Tennis Park. Senior Hugo Hidalgo Vega and sophomore Rodrigo Alves claimed the win and will compete at the ITA Conference Masters in November. Sophomore Leo Fortier-Gariepy and freshman Antoni Pankowski were the runners-up.
Alves and Hidalgo Vega advanced to the semifinal after defeating Howard University's Daniel Dunac and Kendrick Lash 6-4, 6-2. Fortier-Gariepy and Pankowski also won their quarterfinal 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday over Morgan State University's Mikeal Carpenter and Niles Rachal.
Sophomore Kareem Abdul Hakim and senior Oliver Saarinen were the final NCCU duo to triumph in the doubles quarterfinals topping Rishi Jalota and Daniel Wachira of Coppin State University, 6-1, 6-0. The two would have to face fellow teammates, Fortier-Gariepy and Pankowski in the semifinal on Saturday evening. Abdul Hakim and Saarinen fell in two 6-3 sets.
Alves and Hidalgo Vega moved on to the semifinals winning 6-3, 6-4 over South Carolina State University's Aissa Benchakroun and Novak Novakovic.
In the championship final, Fortier-Gariepy and Pankowski faced Hidalgo Vega and Alves with the latter doubles team winning it all 6-4, 6-3.
The ITA Conference Master Championships take place on Nov. 7-10. Before then, the men's team returns to the Cary Tennis Park for the ITA Carolina Regional Championships on Oct. 10-15.
On the women's side, junior Alejandra Hidalgo Vega made it to the singles semifinals on Saturday. After defeating Brandy Alexis Babcock-Hannah of Coppin State 6-1, 6-4 on Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals, Hidalgo Vega fell 7-6, 6-1 to SCSU's Sofiya Chursina in the semis.
Four Lady Eagles played in the doubles quarterfinals on Saturday. Hidalgo Vega joined freshman Mariana Zottoli against Sifa Butcher and Ava Chambers of Howard but fell 10-4 in a tiebreaker after winning the second set. Sophomore Patricia Palencia and junior Valeria San Miguel Soria also dropped a tiebreaker against Howard's Imani Jean and Nadia Pegram 10-8 after claiming the first set.
NC Central's women's tennis team will also compete at the ITA Carolina Regional Championships for their next tournament. The women's event will be held on Oct. 17-21 at the Chewning Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. At the same time, the Eagles will also host the NCCU Invitational from Oct. 18-20 on campus.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
