2010 CIAA MEN’S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH IN PLACE
2010 CIAA MEN’S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH IN PLACE
Johnson C. Smith set to play Shaw for tennis title
April 16, 2010
Petersburg, VA – On the day two of the 2010 CIAA Men’s Tennis Championship, Shaw University defeated St. Augustine’s College 5-0 and Johnson C. Smith trounced Virginia State 5-5 on Friday afternoon at the VSU Tennis Complex to advance to the championship match. The Finals match is set for Saturday, April 17th between Shaw and J.C. Smith at the VSU Tennis Complex beginning at 1:00 pm.
Shaw breezed past the Falcons in doubles competition for a 3-0 lead heading into singles play. CIAA Player of the Year Fabio Falcato and All-CIAA selection Medhi Ben-Cheikh (SU) defeated Marcel Harley and Demetrius White (SAC) 8-1 in No. 1 doubles. All-CIAA duo Kalada Kienka and Milos Stankovic (SU) blanked Levi Thompson and Kievell Ruffin (SAC) 8-0 in the No. 2 doubles match. Fellow All-CIAA selections Martin Faison and Antoine Jacobs (SU) made a doubles sweep with an 8-5 victory over Coyatito Smith and Miles Roe (SAC) in the third and final doubles competition.
Only needing five match points to advance, Stankovic and Ben-Cheikh closed the deal for Shaw with a win in No. 2 and No. 4 singles, respectively. The Bears will be competing for their sixth consecutive CIAA Men’s Tennis Championship on Saturday.
In the second contest of the afternoon, JCSU took an early 2-1 lead after doubles play. All-CIAA selections Jason Stuckey and Aaron Hutcherson (JCSU) dropped the first doubles match to all conference selection John Lanier and Daron Jack 8-4. The Golden Bulls rebounded with an 8-2 win from Robert Butts and McKenzie Bean at the No. 2 doubles spot. The No. 3 doubles match came down to the wire, but Jerald Stuckey and All-CIAA choice Jamil Jones (JCSU) trumped Travis Jones and Harrison Gaskins (VSU) 9-8 with a 7-3 deciding tiebreaker.
In singles action, Gaskins (All-CIAA) handled Barren Smith (6-1, 6-0) for the Trojans to tie the match 2-2. Bean, Hutcherson, and Jones earned victories in No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 singles play, respectively for JCSU to advance.
The championship match will take place on Saturday, April 17th at 1:00 pm inside the VSU Tennis Complex. Johnson C. Smith will have an uphill battle considering the fact they lost to the Shaw Bears twice during the regular season.
