BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | Four-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champion Alabama State dropped a 7-0 decision to Samford to open the season on Saturday.

Although Samford (1-0) grabbed doubles' point with wins at number one and two, the number three team from Alabama State made up of Bea Acena (Dubai, UAE) and Urska Velec (Maribor, Slovenia) picked up a 6-3 victory over Lindsay Song and Lauren Waddles of Samford 6-3.

The Bulldogs were able to sweep through singles play over Alabama State (0-1), with a pair of matches extended to 7-5 scores in the second set and a three-set match at number two where Sahra Bouchaala (Aix-En-Provence, France) dropped a 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 match to Samford's Samantha Nanere. Meanwhile, Velec dropped a 6-4, 7-5 decision at number four and Acena a 6-1, 7-5 match at number five.

Alabama State returns to action Auburn Montgomery next Saturday (January 29).

MATCH RESULTS
Alabama State vs. Samford
January 22, 2022 at Birmingham, Ala.
(Samford Tennis Center)

Samford 7, Alabama State 0

Singles
1. R.J. Van Rensburg (SAM-W) def. Lizaveta Demchenko (ALST) 6-0, 6-1
2. Samantha Nanere (SAM-W) def. Sahra Bouchaala (ALST) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6
3. Alexis Lopez (SAM-W) def. Francesca Duca (ALST) 6-1, 6-1
4. Sofia Zaprianov (SAM-W) def. Urska Velec (ALST) 6-4, 7-5
5. Lindsay Song (SAM-W) def. Bea Acena (ALST) 6-1, 7-5
6. Ally Hayduk (SAM-W) def. Timothee Legaud (ALST) 6-0, 6-3

Doubles
1. Van Rensburg/Lopez (SAM-W) def. Demchenko/Anja Hribljan (ALST) 6-1
2. Samantha Nanere/Sofia Zaprianov (SAM-W) def. Bouchaala/Duca (ALST) 6-0
3. Acena/Velec (ALST) def. Lindsay Song/Lauren Waddles (SAM-W) 6-3

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