CARY, N.C., April 30, 2022 – South Carolina State defeated Howard 4-0 on Saturday morning to win the 2022 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Women’s Tennis Championship at Cary Tennis Park.
The Bulldogs won their third straight title, their 15th in the last 17 seasons and 16th all-time title.
South Carolina State earns the MEAC’s automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships; the selection show will be Monday, May 2, at 6:30 p.m. live on NCAA.com.
Third-seeded South Carolina State took early control by winning the doubles point; Lasya Patnaik and Nalanda Silva opened with a 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles, and the clincher came at No. 3, where Teodora Vujicic and Anabel Aguilar were victorious, 7-6 (7-3).
Howard’s Jordan Grayson and Sifa Butcher won 6-3 at No. 1 doubles.
The Bulldogs t9-9) took control once singles play started, with Vujicic defeating Yemisi Ifederu 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3 singles and Patnaik winning 6-2, 6-2 over Butcher at No. 2 singles.
In No. 4 singles, Silva won 6-2, 6-4 over Alexandra Blackwell.
Silva, who went a perfect 6-0 between singles and doubles play for the tournament, was named Outstanding Performer. Hardeep Judge was yet again named Outstanding Coach.
For more information on the 2022 MEAC Tennis Championships, please visit the Championship Central page.
2022 MEAC Women’s Tennis All-Tournament Team
Doubles
1 – Jordan Grayson / Sifa Butcher (HOW)
2 – Lasya Patnaik / Nalanda Silva (SCSU)
3 – Teodora Vujicic / Anabel Aguilar (SCSU)
Singles
1 – Kennedy Hill, North Carolina Central
2 – Lasya Patnaik, South Carolina State
3 – Nalanda Silva, South Carolina State
4 – Nolwenn Cardoso, Morgan State
5 – Ikram Rassif, South Carolina State
6 – Asmara Rose, Morgan State
Outstanding Performer: Nalanda Silva, South Carolina State
Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge, South Carolina State
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 51st year of intercollegiate competition with the 2021-22 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.