NORFOLK, Va.  -- After a year's absence, Bethune-Cookman quickly showed how it much appreciated being back in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament right away Thursday.

The Wildcats (4-10) stormed out to an early lead by taking the doubles point, but Norfolk State (9-5) regained control in singles play and eliminated the Wildcats 4-1 in the quarterfinals at the Folkes-Stevens Center on the Old Dominion University campus. Norfolk State will face South Carolina State, a 4-0 victor over Howard, in Friday's semifinals.

The doubles tandems of Victor Bravo/Jose Plazas registered the first win, then Juan Diego Ruiz/Juan Navarro's 6-4 victory gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead, its first since the 2016 team beat Howard in the opening round.

It also was the Wildcats' fourth doubles point of the season, and considering that they won three of their four matches when that happened, the hope and enthusiasm was there.

The Spartans had other ideas.

The hometown team won nine of the ten singles sets completed. Navarro won his first set at No. 5, but was trailing 5-0 when play was halted. Plazas, the only player with tournament experience, rallied to a first set tiebreaker at No. 2 but dropped it.

"Give credit to Norfolk State for being strong in singles," said B-CU Head Coach Val Villucci. "They play at a high level consistently. We could match that at times, but not enough."

The Wildcats' final record is a three-victory improvement over the 2017 campaign.

"It's a painful loss, but it's a process," said David Ocampo, the lone senior. "We climbed some steps this season."

NOTES:  Bravo finished the season .500 (6-6) in doubles play as did Diego Ruiz (5-5).