April 22, 2007

Results

Raleigh, N.C. - For the third time in as many years, South Carolina State claimed the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championship with a 4-0 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Sunday at the Millbrook Tennis Center in Raleigh, N.C.

Bethune-Cookman (21-4) had the daunting task of facing off against the two-time defending champs for consecutive years in the MEAC Finals. The Wildcats fell earlier in the year on a score of 5-2 against the Lady Bulldogs of S.C. State (21-5) in Orangeburg, S.C.

This time, SCSU was on a mission and proved it in a big way.

"There was pressure to win this year because we had done it last year," explained two-time MEAC Player of the Year, Mirian Cruz. "My team worked really hard and did the right things, and we are happy that we won."

SCSU took the opening doubles point with an exciting 2-1 set advantage. Mirian Cruz and Marcela Rodezno of the Lady Bulldogs ended the 11-match winning streak of the Wildcats duo comprised of sophomore sensation Kiara Powell and senior Olga Ruislova on a score of 8-3 at the No. 1 position.

At the No. 2 doubles spot, B-CU seniors Valerie Kendrick and Lucia Polakova collected a hard-fought 8-5 win over Gisel Brito and Vesna Popac. SCSU eventually took the point with the final at the No. 3 position with the strength of Iveta Blodneice and Yana Lytkina. The two outlasted B-CU's freshmen tandem of Monika Musilova and Jeneice Ward, 8-4.

In singles play, Cruz swept past the Wildcats Olga Ruislova at the No. 1 position on scores of 6-2, 6-1.

Marcella Rodezno defeated Polakova at the No. 2 position with scores of 6-2, 6-0 to put the Lady Bulldogs up 3-0 at that point in the match.

The final point in the match came from Yana Lytkina of SCSU in the No. 6 position as she defeated B-CU's Ward with scores of 6-0, 6-1.

"I felt like our girls played extremely hard, and I am exceptionally proud of how we played the entire season," expressed B-CU head coach Try Bogue afterwards. "South Carolina State is a great team, and we knew we had to play well to defeat them. But that doesn't take anything away from the type of year we had. It was fun to watch and coach at the same time."

The Wildcats finished the season with the best record for Trey Bogue since his arrival at Bethune-Cookman just over six years ago. He also placed the most student-athletes for the women on the All-MEAC Team with four (4), as well as a finalist for Rookie of the Year in Monika Musilova.

South Carolina State now awaits to see where they will be seeded heading into the upcoming NCAA Tournament. This is the third time in three years the Lady Bulldogs will represent the MEAC in the annual NCAA Tourney.