JACKSON, Miss. – Bethune-Cookman Women's Tennis took part in the first Southwestern Athletic Conference Pod of the 2023 spring season over the weekend, with the Wildcats finishing 0-3 in the event against teams from the league's Western Division. All matches took place in Jackson, Mississippi. The Cats played matches against Alcorn (L, 0-4), Prairie View A&M (L, 0-5) and Alabama A&M (L, 0-4), respectively.
 
Match #1: Alcorn 4, BCU 0
Bethune-Cookman fell to Alcorn by a 4-0 decision in the opening match of the SWAC Pod #1 event of the spring 2023 campaign on Friday afternoon, with the Wildcats dropping the doubles point along with three singles decisions.
 
Diarra Thomas and Janet Imbo Nloga teamed together at the No. 1 doubles position to face Alcorn's Nicole Kells and Aizat Zholdakayeva. The Cats trailed 3-1 when the match was called, as the Braves took the other two positions to secure the doubles point in the match.
 
Alcorn's Mikaela Konstantinova and Kimberly Kaome defeated Bethune-Cookman's Keona Burley and Loncey Elie, 6-0 at the No. 2 doubles spot. The No. 3 position was a walk-over in favor of Alcorn.
 
Burley would fall to Tangia Riley-Codrington at the No. 3 singles position, with the Braves taking the 6-0, 6-0 victory. At the No. 5 spot, it was a 6-0, 6-0 straight-set win for Alcorn's Kaome in defeating Elie for the Maroon and Gold. The final point to secure the match victory came at No. 5 singles play when Kells grabbed a 6-0, 6-0 win from the Wildcats' Courdeja Clark.
 
MATCH #2: Prairie View A&M 5, BCU 0
Prairie View A&M took down Bethune-Cookman in women's tennis action by a score of 5-0 on Saturday afternoon, with the match being the second of its kind for the Wildcats at this year's SWAC Pod #1 event taking place in Jackson, Mississippi.
 
The Prairie View A&M Panthers took the doubles point beginning with the team of Anette Lira and Salma Sanchez turning in a 6-0 win over Bethune-Cookman's No. 2 doubles team of Keona Burley and Loncey Elie. The point was secured for the Panthers at the No. 3 spot by default.
 
At No. 1 doubles play, Alabama A&M's Victoria Fuenmayor and Mahogani Green led the Wildcats' team of Janet Imbo Nloga and Diarra Thomas by a 4-0 count before the match was suspended.
 
Prairie View A&M grabbed the first singles point at the No. 1 spot that saw Fuenmayor take down Bethune-Cookman's Diarra Thomas (6-2, 6-1).  The No. 3 position is where the Wildcats' Keona Burley fell to Prairie View A&M's Ruju Chauhan (6-0, 6-0), before Courdeja Clark of the Maroon and Gold fell to Salma Sanchez in straight sets (6-0, 6-0).
 
The decision was made 5-0 due to the Panthers taking a walkover win in the No. 6 singles spot.
 
MATCH #3: Alabama A&M 4, BCU 0
Bethune-Cookman Women's Tennis completed its stay at the SWAC Pod #1 event on Sunday, as the Wildcats dropped a 4-0 decision to Alabama A&M in Jackson, Mississippi.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-4) dropped the doubles point with Alabama A&M claiming a pair of 6-0 wins at both the No. 1 and No. 2 positions, respectfully.
 
The Wildcats' dup of Diarra Thomas and Janet Imbo Nloga fell 6-0 to AAMU's No. 1 doubles team of Neha Ghare and Alicia Owegi. Then it was the Bulldogs solidifying the point at the No. 2 position where they used the team of Deja Brown and Camila Ruiz Diaz to defeat BCU's duo of Keona Burley and Loncey Elie, 6-0.
 
In singles play, the Wildcats dropped the No. 6 singles point by default/walk-over. Owegi defeated BCU's Elie in straight sets (6-0, 6-0) at the No. 4 singles spot. At No. 5 singles, AAMU's Dhamija defeated Courdeja Clark (6,0, 6-0). Ruiz Diaz would complete the 4-0 Bulldogs win at the No. 3 singles position that saw her take down Bethune-Cookman's Keona Burley (6,0, 6-0).
 

The Wildcats return to the courts Wednesday, Feb. 22, as the Maroon and Gold travel to nearby Stetson in DeLand, Florida. Match time has been set for 10 a.m.
 

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