NORFOLK, Va. – Any conference tournament victory is one to be celebrated, but allow Bethune-Cookman to really appreciate Thursday's 4-0 victory over Norfolk State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference quarterfinals at Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center.
Rehaana Butt won at doubles and delivered the match-clinching fourth point as the Lady Wildcats (6-10) advanced to Friday's semifinals against Florida A&M at 9 a.m.
Entering as the South division's fourth-seed, BCU played perhaps its best team effort of the season to dispatch the Spartans, the top-seeded team from the North.
"Our team play today was at championship level," said BCU Head Coach
Val Villucci. "Each lady played with focus and an unwavering determination. Norfolk State came with a different and stronger lineup from our last competition. We knew it was going to be difficult, and we were mentally prepared. I am extremely proud of our accomplishment today."
The doubles tandems of Butt/
Afrika Smith and
Michelle Ncube/
Karen Romero dropped just four games to quickly give BCU the doubles point, setting the stage for a singles competition in which BCU has been struggling to find that fourth point in conference play.
The lead went to 3-0 when
Chalina Godbolt and
Sheerly Bueno dispatched their opponents at No. 4 and No. 6, respectively. It was the first tournament victory for both Lady Wildcat players.
"This will give us a lot of confidence, we were playing well today," Bueno said. "A victory like this will make us perform stronger and more focused the rest of the tournament."
Three of the other four matches were in the third set, but Butt, the 2018 MEAC Rookie Of The Year, put it away with a 6-1,4-6,6-4 decision over Paula Fortuno in the No. 2 matchup.
"I blatantly refused to stay down," Butt said. "Ever since [losing the deciding point at] FAMU, I've been a lot more comfortable playing under pressure.
"I'm very proud of the team effort today," Butt added. "We were definitely more cohesive. The whole season is coming together."
Butt's victory left a well-played match between Ncube, the MEAC 2019 Rookie of The Year and NSU's Naz Karagoz, the MEAC 2019 MVP, unfinished with Ncube leading in the third set.
Phatsimo Ruele, who was the deciding fourth point in last year's quarterfinal win over Howard, also was ahead in the third set when play was suspended.
NOTES: The women are in the semifinals for the sixth time in the last seven years … BCU has won the doubles points in seven of its last eight matches … The Ncube/Romero doubles tandem has won its last eight matches while Smith/Butt has won four straight … Butt is now a combined 5-1 MEAC tournament play.
