ATHENS, Ga. | The Alabama State University women's tennis team saw its season come to a close Saturday afternoon, falling 4-0 to top-ranked University of Georgia in the opening round of the NCAA Athens Regional at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
The Hornets finished the season with an 11-9 overall record after earning the program's latest Southwestern Athletic Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
Georgia secured the doubles point with victories on courts one and three. The nationally ranked duo of Anastasiia Lopata and Patricija Paukstyte defeated Alabama State's Diana Craciun and Melisa Mekic 6-2 at No. 1 doubles, while Emma Dong and Anastasiia Gureva earned a 6-1 win over Rim Assanhaji and Jovana Petrovic at No. 3 doubles. The No. 2 doubles match featuring Cleanne Pickel and Kesmat El Tawil was unfinished at 5-2.
In singles play, Georgia clinched the match with straight-set wins on courts three, four and five. No. 93 Emma Dong defeated Melisa Mekic 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles, while No. 81 Sofia Rojas earned a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Senna Van Den Heuvel at No. 4. Alexandra Vecic closed out the match with a 6-1, 6-1 win against Jovana Petrovic at No. 5 singles.
Several matches remained unfinished when the contest was decided. On court one, No. 19 Anastasiia Lopata led Diana Craciun 6-3, 5-0, while No. 61 Anastasiia Gureva held a 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 advantage over Kesmat El Tawil at No. 2 singles. At No. 6 singles, Cleanne Pickel trailed Emily Deming 6-4, 2-4 before play was halted.
Doubles Results
- #19 Lopata/Paukstyte (UGA) def. Diana Craciun/Melisa Mekic (ASU), 6-2
- Deniz Dilek/Aysegul Mert (UGA) vs. Cleanne Pickel/Kesmat El Tawil (ASU), 5-2, unfinished
- Emma Dong/Anastasiia Gureva (UGA) def. Rim Assanhaji/Jovana Petrovic (ASU), 6-1
Singles Results
- #19 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) vs. Diana Craciun (ASU), 6-3, 5-0, unfinished
- #61 Anastasiia Gureva (UGA) vs. Kesmat El Tawil (ASU), 7-6 (7-4), 1-0, unfinished
- #93 Emma Dong (UGA) def. Melisa Mekic (ASU), 6-0, 6-0
- #81 Sofia Rojas (UGA) def. Senna Van Den Heuvel (ASU), 6-3, 6-0
- Alexandra Vecic (UGA) def. Jovana Petrovic (ASU), 6-1, 6-1
- Emily Deming (UGA) vs. Cleanne Pickel (ASU), 6-4, 2-4, unfinished
