NORFOLK, Va. – South Carolina State captured the 2021 MEAC Championship with a 4-0 defeat of the Norfolk State men's tennis team on Sunday afternoon at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center.
 
S.C. State won the doubles point and earned first-set wins in five of six singles matches to end NSU's campaign. The Spartans, making just their second ever appearance in the MEAC final, saw their season come to a close with an 8-5 overall record.
 
Senior Andres Alcaraz and freshman Santiago Rendon were named to the All-Tournament Team for No. 2 doubles. Senior Ignacio Guevel (No. 5 singles) and junior Federico Rebecchini (No. 1 singles) were tabbed all-tournament in singles as well.

"Give credit to S.C. State for playing well," said head coach Larry Holmes. "Their experience showed. Our guys have battled and competed the whole season. I am proud of them."
 
The North No. 1 seed, NSU lost at No. 1 and 3 doubles to fall into an early 1-0 hole in the match. Rebecchini and Guevel dropped their No. 1 doubles match, 6-1, to Marcelo Rodriguez and Elyes Marouani. Sophomore Ibrahim Abbas and freshman Ivan Ivars also came up short at No. 3 doubles, 6-2, to Arzaluz Diego and Selim Ali Ben.
 
Alcaraz and Rendon were up 5-2 and about to clinch their doubles match against Aleska Daskalovic and Erwan Momo when it was abandoned.
 
Alcaraz was able to take the first set from Rodriguez at No. 2 singles, 6-4. Rodriguez was up 4-3 in the second set when the overall match came to a close.
 
The Bulldogs (7-5), the South No. 1 seed, earned victories at No. 3, 4 and 6 singles for the title. Marouani topped Rendon at the third position, 6-4, 6-1, to officially clinch the win. Omer Gorgun defeated Ivars 6-0, 6-0 at the fourth slot, and Luka Stevanovic pulled out a 6-0, 6-1 win against Abbas at No. 6 singles that put S.C. State one point away from the win.
 
Daskalovic was ahead 7-5, 1-0 over Rebecchini at No. 1 singles, and Diego nearly came away with the victory at the fifth position, 6-2, 5-1, over Guevel when both matches were abandoned.
 
Norfolk State will lose both Alcaraz and Guevel from a team that captured the MEAC Northern Division title at 3-0 this year, just their second ever regular season crown since joining the league.