MADISON, Miss. – Freshman Zahara El-Zein won her first career Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) singles match Friday morning despite Bethune-Cookman suffering a 4-1 defeat to Alcorn State in the first SWAC Pod of the 2025 spring campaign at FitNetwork USA – Cypress Lake in Madison, Mississippi. The SWAC Pod is hosted by Jackson State.
 
El-Zein, a native of Harare, Zimbabwe, claimed the first point of the day for Bethune-Cookman (1-6, 0-1 SWAC) at the No. 2 singles position. She was able to turn away Alcorn's Natalija Nikolic in straight sets – 6-0, 6-1.
 
Alcorn (4-9, 1-0 SWAC) took advantage early with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to take a 1-0 lead heading into the singles portion of the match.
 
Oihane Lopez and Nikita Liyanage defeated B-CU's tandem of El-Zein and Lesa Snipes-Williams by a 6-1 count on court two. Meanwhile, the Braves used Doaa Mohamed and Aanya Rao to defeat the Wildcats team of Keona Burley and Anne Cerna, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot.
 
In singles action, Alcorn's Ozi-oiza Yakubu was able to fight past Burley at the No. 4 position in straight sets – 6-2, 6-3. Liyanage defeated Snipes-Williams in the No. 5 position – 6-1, 6-1. And it was the Braves' Rao producing a 6-0, 6-0 decision over Bethune-Cookman freshman Anne Cerne on court six.
 
Bethune-Cookman continues SWAC Pod play on Saturday against Prairie View A&M at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT). The match will be housed at FitNetwork USA – Cypress Lake in Madison, Mississippi.
 
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Singles Competition
1. Doaa Mohamed (ALC) vs. Jalayah Shaw (BCU) 6-3, 4-0, unfinished
2. Zahara El-Zein (BCU) def. Natalija Nikolic (ALC) 6-0, 6-1
3. Oihane V. Lopez (ALC) vs. Allexii Bassette (BCU) 4-6, 4-4, unfinished
4. Ozi-oiza J. Yakubu (ALC) def. Keona Burley (BCU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Nikita Liyanage (ALC) def. Lesa Snipes-Williams (BCU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Aanya Rao (ALC) def. Anne Cerne (BCU) 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles Competition
1. Natalija Nikolic/Ozi-oiza J. Yakubu (ALC) vs. Allexii Bassette/Jalayah Shaw (BCU) 5-0, unfinished
2. Oihane V. Lopez/Nikita Liyanage (ALC) def. Zahara El-Zein/Lesa Snipes-Williams (BCU) 6-1
3. Doaa Mohamed/Aanya Rao (ALC) def. Keona Burley/Anne Cerne (BCU) 6-1