RALEIGH, N.C. – The Lady Bulldogs of South Carolina State defeated Bethune- Cookman, 4-0, to earn their third consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tennis championship and the Hampton Pirates defeated Florida A&M, 4-1 to earn the title for the men, Sunday at the Millbrook Tennis Center in Raleigh, N. C.

After winning the doubles points, No. 75 South Carolina State won the number six and number two singles spot to hold a 3-0 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs were led by MEAC Player of the Year, junior Mirian Cruz, who was named the Tournament’s Outstanding Performer for the second straight year. Cruz won the match for South CarolinaStateat the number one singles position over Bethune-Cookman’s Olga Ruislova 6-2, 6-1.

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

Head Coach Hardeep Judge (S.C.State) was named the Outstanding Coach for the third consecutive year. Judge guided his team to a 10-0 MEAC record for the second straight year to capture the number one seed in this year’s tournament.

“My team worked really hard and I believe it made a difference that we played Bethune-Cookman and won 5-2 earlier this season. We won that match however, they took us to three sets, and so we knew today would be tough, explained Judge.”

Women:

#1 South CarolinaState4, #2 Bethune-Cookman

Singles competition:

1. CRUZ, Mirian (SCSU) def. RUISLOVA, Olga (BCC) 6-2, 6-1

2. RODEZNO, Marcela (SCSU) def. POLAKOVA, Lucia (BCC) 6-2, 6-0

3. BRITO, Gisel (SCSU) vs. POWELL, Kiara (BCC) 7-6, 2-0, unfinished

4. POPAC, Vesna (SCSU) vs. MUSILOVA, Monika (BCC) 6-1, 3-3, unfinished

5. BLODNEICE, Iveta (SCSU) vs. KENDRICK, Valerie (BCC) 6-3, 5-3, unfinished

6. LYTKINA, Yana(SCSU) def. WARD, Jeneice (BCC) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition:

1. CRUZ, Mirian/RODEZNO, Marcela (SCSU) def. RUISLOVA, Olga/POWELL, Kiara (BCC) 8-3

2. POLAKOVA, Lucia/KENDRICK, Valerie (BCC) def. BRITO, Gisel/POPAC, Vesna (SCSU) 8-5

3. BLODNEICE, Iveta/LYTKINA, Yana(SCSU) def. MUSILOVA, Monika/WARD, Jeneice (BCC) 8-4

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