MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Bethune-Cookman Women's Tennis opened Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play with a 4-0 loss away to Alabama State on Thursday, Feb. 15, at Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center. The match was the first of four league matches across a four-day span for the Wildcats.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-6, 0-1 SWAC) played for the first time this spring outside the state of Florida, as the young Wildcats are in the midst of six consecutive games away from Derbyshire Park over the course of 16 days, dating back to last Saturday against Eckerd in St. Petersburg.
 
Alabama State (3-4, 1-0 SWAC) opened with the doubles point on the strength of two (2) 6-0 decisions.
 
Despite the loss, BCU Head Coach Chris Wollett was pleased with his team's intensity.
 
"We went up against one of the top women's teams in the SWAC, and it showed," expressed Wollett afterwards. "They came out playing aggressive in doubles, and we were put in a defensive position for the majority of the time."
 
The Hornets No. 2 doubles tandem of Madalena Andrade and Bea Acena posted a 6-0 win over the Bethune-Cookman pair of Jalayah Shaw and Allexii Bassette. The hosts secured the point with the decision at No. 3 doubles play as Carmelle Vial and Timothee Legaud defeated B-CU's duo of Loncey Elie and Courdeja Clark.
 
In singles action, Alabama State recorded wins in the four completed matches while leading in the three unfinished matches as well.
 
Bea Acena began singles play with a 6-0, 6-0 straight-set victory from the Cats' Loncey Elie at the No. 5 position. That was followed by B-CU's Shaw suffering a 6-0, 6-0 straight-set defeat at the hands of Sahra Bouchaala at No. 2 action. The match was decided at the No. 6 spot when Timothée Legaud fought past Bethune-Cookman's Courdeja Clark in straight-set fashion 6-0, 6-0.
 
"In singles, I thought we competed hard when we could, but I'd still like our team to work on point management when we're down. We need to be more patient and let the points develop longer in order to gain momentum."
 
For the Cats, newcomer Tuhina Sambhus performed well at the No. 3 potion, as the New Zealand native's match went unfinished while she trailed ASU's Madalena Andrade 6-2 after the opening set. Allexii Bassette was also unfinished in a tightly contested match with the Hornets' No. 4 player Carmelle Vial, as Bassette dropped the opening set 6-3, and was trailing 3-2 in the second before going unfinished as well.
 
The Wildcats begin the SWAC Pod #1 event Friday when B-CU faces off against Alcorn State at 10 a.m., back at the Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center. The event is being hosted by Alabama State.
 
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COMPLETE RESULTS
Singles Competition
1. Lizaveta Demchenko (ASU) vs. Janet Imbo Nloga (BCU) 6-1, 2-0, unfinished
2. Sahra Bouchaala (ASU) def. Jalayah Shaw (BCU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Madalena Andrade (ASU) vs. Tuhina Sambhus (BCU) 6-2, unfinished
4. Carmelle Vial (ASU) vs. Allexii Bassette (BCU) 6-3, 3-2, unfinished
5. Bea Acena (ASU) def. Loncey Elie (BCU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Timothee Legaud (ASU) def. Courdeja Clark (BCU) 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles Competition
1. Lizaveta Demchenko/Ena Arnautovic (ASU) vs. Tuhina Sambhus/Janet Imbo Nloga (BCU) 5-1, unfinished
2. Madalena Andrade/Bea Acena (ASU) def. Jalayah Shaw/Allexii Bassette (BCU) 6-0
3. Carmelle Vial/Timothee Legaud (ASU) def. Loncey Elie/Courdeja Clark (BCU) 6-0