DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University women's tennis team earns a third-straight win in Saturday's 5-2 victory over Gardner-Webb University. Sophomore Alejandra Hidalgo Vega and freshman Patricia Palencia have now won four singles matches in a row for the Eagles.

NCCU (3-10) started quickly earning the doubles point for a 1-0 advantage. Senior Jade Houston and junior Lafi Joao defeated their opponents 6-4 in No.1 Doubles. Palencia and sophomore Candice Bernier followed suit winning 6-3 in the No.2 Doubles slot.

Gardner-Webb (4-7) would answer back with two triumphs in singles competition. Alizee Poulin won in No.2 Singles due to a retirement from Bernier. GWU's Katie Watts defeated senior Isabelle Exsted 7-5, 6-3 in the No.4 spot.

The Eagles secured four points from Hidalgo Vega, Palencia, Houston and Joao. Houston's singles match in the No.3 slot finished first with a pair of 6-1 sets claiming her third singles victory in a row. With Gardner-Webb's players moving up, Joao secured a walkover victory.

Hidalgo Vega completed her No.1 Singles match in a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over GWU's Emma Shasteen. Palencia wrapped up the match with a tiebreaker win. She took the first set 6-3 and fell 6-7 in the second. An 11-9 tiebreaker victory sealed the deal for Palencia.

NC Central competes on Friday, March 22 on the opening day of the MEAC Round-up hosted by the Eagles at the Cary Tennis Park next weekend. The first conference opponent for NCCU will be Delaware State University at noon.

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