CARY, N.C. – The Norfolk State women's tennis team ended the evening with a victory at Cary Tennis Park, splitting its first two matchups of the MEAC Tennis Roundup on Friday.
 
After dropping a match to Morgan State (2-10, 1-0 MEAC) 5-2, the Spartans (2-8, 1-1) bounced back with a 6-1 win over Coppin State (0-5, 0-1) a few hours later.
 
Morgan State swept the opening doubles point, winning 6-1 on Court 1, 6-0 on Court 2, and 6-2 on Court 3.
 
Lauryn Hall defeated 
Alessia Stan by opponent retirement at the No. 2 singles position, before Averiana Mitchell took down 
Isabella Cottrell 6-1, 6-0 at the No. 6 slot to put Morgan State ahead 3-0.
 
Gabriela Davidescu registered a 6-3, 6-2 victory over 
Aleksandra Evdokimova at the top of the lineup to get the Spartans on the board. Hannah Smith clinched the team match for the Bears with a win at No. 3, defeating 
Irina Ioana Iurea.
 
Stefania Maysiadi bested 
Sabina Maria Iurea 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 5 slot, before 
Laura Ruiz ended the match on a high note for the Spartans with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Iva Jankovic at the No. 4 position.
 
The Spartans adjusted easily for the second match, sweeping doubles play to take the first point of the afternoon. Cottrell and Ruiz won at the No. 3 position by default, before Stan and 
Sabina Maria Iurea earned a 6-2 victory at the No. 2 slot. Davidescu and 
Irina Ioana Iurea won 6-2 on Court 1 to close out the dominant performance.
 
Norfolk State immediately went ahead 3-0 as 
Sabina Maria Iurea and Cottrell won by default on Courts 5 and 6, respectively. Davidescu earned her second singles victory of the day at the No. 1 position, defeating Megan Etienne 6-1, 6-1.
 
Ruiz completed her 2-0 singles day with a powerful 6-0, 6-0 win at the No. 4 position over Shaklya Johnson. 
Irina Ioana Iurea kept the momentum going with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Alison Azarak at the No. 3 slot.
 
Kenyange Kaounde picked up Coppin State's lone point of the match, using a strong third-set tiebreak to defeat Stan 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-2).
 
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