NORFOLK, Va.-Howard battled the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs on Saturday, Jan. 19 at the Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center to kick off the new year.

The Lady Bison fell to the Monarchs 6-1.

Katelyn Stokes put the bison ahead by defeating Diana Ivanova 7-5, 7-5. Unfortunately, her reign was cut short when fellow Lady Bison Brittney Morgan (6-1, 6-3), Umarah Mughee (6-0, 6-2), Talia Johnson (6-2, 6-3), Gabrielle Moxey (6-2, 6-2) and Stacey Roheman (6-0, 6-1) fell to ODU singles play.

ODU dominated HU during doubles play.  Stokes and Morgan fell 8-2, as Johnson and Roheman lost 8-1 and  Mughee and Moxey fell 7-4.

For the complete story, visit www.howard-bison.com

North Carolina A&T Falls to 7-0

GREENSBORO-North Carolina A&T opened up the 2013 season with some highs and lows in a 7-0 loss to Appalachian State at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center.

The Aggies (0-1) saw strong performances from senior Cayla Cross, who took Gabby Gabriel to three sets in the fourth singles match, and from junior Victorea Austin at the No. 2 singles position.  However, sophomore Kenya Colbert, playing at the No. 1 spot in singles, had to retire from her match after her knee buckled in the middle of competition.   Colbert had been fighting hard against Jennifer Ansari, and was down 4-1 before being helped off the court.  

Cross, after falling 2-6 to Gabriel in the first set, came back to capture the second by 6-3.  Cross kept her momentum going by taking a 2-0 lead in the third set.  However, Gabriel came back to tie the set and to take a 4-8 lead.  Cross won the next point, but couldn't keep Gabriel from winning the last two points to secure the victory.

The Aggies fell in doubles by scores of 8-1, 8-4, and 8-2 before being swept in the six singles matches.  Austin, who was promoted to the No. 2 position after her strong 2012 season was defeated 6-1, 6-0 by Clare Cox.   Junior Kimberly Stalling lost by 6-2, 0-6 to Brianna Armellino.  Freshman Jayla Scott made her regular season debut with a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Gabriela Celi in the No. 5 singles match.  Senior April Burrage lost to Sarah King, 6-1, 6-1.

For the complete story, visit www.ncataggies.com

Women's Tennis Falls to ODU, 7-0

NORFOLK, Va. -Norfolk State opened up the 2013 season with a 7-0 loss to Old Dominion on Saturday at the Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center.

In the doubles matches freshman Andrea Macchiavello and sophomore Yvonne Kamegne suffered a 6-1 loss to Julianna Pires and Nicole Hristova. Sophomores Laura Gutierrez and Mafalda Lhorca fell to Diana Ivanova and Melissa Esnal-Olguin, 8-0. In match number three Nika Khomolovska and Ivana Vuckovic defeated senior Rebecca Graff and junior Maryna Kariuk, 8-1.

In the singles matches Macchiavello fell to Ivanova, 6-3, 6-2. Kamegne lost to Hristova in match number two 6-2, 6-0. Gutierrez competed at the number three spot where she lost to Vuckovic 6-3, 6-0. Kariuk suffered a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Khomolovska. Batiste finished things up for the Spartans with a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Faith Attiso.

For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com