DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Wildcats kick off a three-game non-conference swing with a make-up contest with UCF originally scheduled for Jan. 20. First serve is set for Sunday, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. at the USTA National Campus.


 Bethune-Cookman Women's Tennis concluded play in the first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Pod event of the 2024 season held at Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center, as the Wildcats suffered a 4-0 defeat to Alabama A&M on Sunday morning. The three-day event was hosted by Alabama State.
 
In doubles, Bethune-Cookman had an opportunity to get on the scoreboard early-on but came up just short.
 
The No. 1 Wildcats duo of Janet Imbo Nloga and Tuhina Sambhus battled tough against Alabama A&M's team of Ntokozo Zungu and Ariadna Ondo Cerezo before dropping the match in top-flight action, 6-4. The doubles point was collected by the Bulldogs as the No. 3 doubles tandem of Hannah Nagpall and Sofia Sotelo Raya defeated the Cats' partnership of Loncey Elie and Courdeja Clark, 6-0.
 
At No. 2 doubles, BCU's team of Jalayah Shaw and Allexii Bassette had a 5-3 lead over Yana Dhamija and Alicia Owegi when the match went unfinished.
 
In singles play, Alabama A&M (2-4, 2-1 SWAC) picked up the first point quickly at the No. 6 position when Bethune-Cookman's Courdeja Clark was defeated by the Bulldogs' Sofia Sotelo Raya in straight sets (6-0, 6-0).
 
The No. 5 position was also taken by the Bulldogs with a 6-0, 6-0 decision from Hannah Nagpall over BCU's Loncey Elie.
 
The decisive point for the Bulldogs was collected at the No. 1 spot as the Wildcats' Janet Imbo Nloga performed well for the fourth consecutive match in the top spot for the Maroon and Gold. But in the end, it was AAMU's Ntokozo Zungu taking the straight-set victory on scores of 6-0, 6-2, respectfully.
 
With the team outcome decided, the remaining singles matches went unfinished.
 
Alabama A&M's Gabrielle Henderson had won the first set 6-4 over Allexii Bassette at No. 4 singles before BCU's Bassette counterpunched to lead the second set 4-1 when the match went unfinished.
 
Wildcats freshman Tuhina Sambhus also battled the Bulldogs' No. 3 Alicia Owegi closely, with the opening set tied at 6-6 before play was halted.
 


The Knights are 1-5 this season, with their one win coming against #20 Georgia Tech in UCF's season-opener at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. In four matches since, the Knights have dropped a 3-4 decision to Illinois, a 2-4 contest to FIU, a 0-4 sweep at the hands of #20 Tennessee, and a 2-4 decision to Wisconsin on Feb. 18.

After earning a ranked win at court one against Florida International and a statement straight-set victory at court two against Wisconsin, UCF's Sophia Biolay has found herself ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association singles poll for the first time in her career, checking in at #121. 

The Knights are 12-0 against B-CU all-time.