NEW ORLEANS, La. | Alabama State found itself trailing in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) semifinals Saturday morning, before coming from behind to claim a 4-3 victory over Jackson State at the Pepsi Tennis Center.

With the win, Alabama State advances to the championship match in search of the third consecutive conference championship against Alcorn State Sunday.
Jackson State claimed the doubles point with wins at number one and three to take a 1-0 lead, before they also got wins at number three and five singles. Alabama State used singles as their strength Saturday with wins from the conference Player of the Year, Reka Szentes (6-3, 6-1) at number one singles, and conference Freshman of the Year, Urska Velec (6-2, 6-3). They also got a win from Gabriela Lackova (6-4, 6-2) at number four, before Maria Popova won at number two singles. Popova dropped the first set (6-4), came back to win the second set in a tiebreak and winning set three 6-2.

Alabama State 4, Jackson State 3
April 13, 2019
New Orleans, La.
Singles
1. Reka Szentes (ASU) def. Lucia Solis (JSU) 6-3, 6-1
2. Maria Popova (ASU) def. Nina Zhang (JSU) 4-6, 7-6, 6-2
3. Maria Martinez (JSU) def. Lea Krajcovicova (ASU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Gabriela Lackova (ASU) def. Lucia Placidi (JSU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Ariel Dickson (JSU) def. Worthy Goldman (ASU) 7-6, 6-3
6. Urska Velec (ASU) def. Lily Zhang (JSU) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles
1. Jones/Placidi (JSU) def. Popova/Chloe Kabamba (ASU) 6-2
2. Szentes/Velec (ASU) def. Solis/Zhang (JSU) 6-2
3. Zhang/Dickson (JSU) def. Lackova/Krajcovicova (ASU) 7-5

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