NORFOLK, Virginia -- The South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs clinched the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championship on Saturday morning with a 4-0 win over Florida A&M at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University.
South Carolina State Head Coach Hardeep Judge, the tournament's outstanding coach, was extremely proud of the championship effort put on by his squad.
"We knew we had to play hard," Judge said. "The last time we played them, it was a tough match, a 4-3 contest so we knew we had to jump on top them early. This championship was very special. I didn't coach the team last year and this year we started out 1-9. I kept telling the girls that I believe in you. They responded this weekend."
In doubles, South Carolina State won at number one and number three slots to earn the team point. Intissar Rassif and Dakota Brown defeated Shantel Blackwood and Arrice Robinson 6-2 at the number one slot, while Andjela Vasic and Marketa Marcanikova won at number three over Elizabeth Clayton and Alexis Dean 6-4 for the team point.
The singles matches were highlighted by Rassif, who was named the Outstanding Performer of the tournament, winning at number one over Alexis Dean 6-0, 6-2. Vasic defeated Olivia Rolle 6-3, 6-1 at number three singles to get the Lady Bulldogs to within a point of the championship. Carla Petreanu won the tournament-clinching match defeating Clayton at number six singles 6-0, 6-4.
The tournament title was the first for South Carolina State since 2014 and they have now won 11 of the last 12 MEAC Championships and 12th overall.
With the win, South Carolina State (8-10) earned the conference's automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships. The NCAA selection show will air on May 3 at 5 p.m. online at www.ncaa.com.
For more information about women's tennis, please visit www.meacsports.com.
Women's All-Tournament Team
Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge South Carolina State
Outstanding Performer: Intissar Rassif South Carolina State
Doubles
| #3 | Marketa Marcanikova/Andjela Vasic | South Carolina State |
| #2 | Dominique Henry/Olivia Rolle | Florida A&M |
| #1 | Dakota Brown/Intissar Rassif | South Carolina State |
| #6 | Elizabeth Clayton | Florida A&M |
| #5 | Dakota Brown | South Carolina State |
| #4 | Dominique Henry | Florida A&M |
| #3 | Andjela Vasic | South Carolina State |
| #2 | Matea Roki | Bethune-Cookman |
| #1 | Intissar Rassif | South Carolina State |
COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
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