March 9, 2011
Final Stats
SUMTER, S.C. -- UMES traveled to South Carolina to compete in the annual MEAC Roundup to play in five contests against current and future MEAC opponents. The Hawks fought well but ultimately lost each one, falling to opponent Bethune-Cookman, Savannah State, North Carolina Central, Norfolk State and Florida A&M. UMES now stands at 1-5 on the season.
The Hawks faced a tough Bethune-Cookman squad, falling in all nine matches in a 7-0 defeat. Alisia Belt (Suitland, Md.) gave Reijina Hopkins a tough start in her singles match, but ultimately succumbed 2-6, 0-6. Belt teamed up with Arshell Jackson (Easton, Md.) and took two games in their doubles match loss to Hopkins and Andrea Paez 2-8.
Trying to regroup against Savannah State that same Friday, UMES had a strong showing against the Tigers, but despite two singles and one doubles win the Hawks fell short 5-2. Paula Vilas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) won her second singles match of the season in the three spot with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Lauren Daniels. Shamara McKenzie (Neptune, N.J.) recovered from a tough second set to win in three 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in her match against Shannon Howard. All three doubles matches were close, including Jackson and Belt defeating Davita Washington and Denisa Vanca 7-5, but Savannah State took the other two 6-8 and 5-8.
The next day, the Hawks faced North Carolina Central in the morning, falling 6-1 in the contest. UMES gained a point by default on the sixth singles match as Belt was set to take on Maria Nedstrom. Solana McMillan (Teaneck, N.J.) had a good showing in the first singles match, but fell to Olesya Falko 3-6, 1-6.
It was a rough Sunday for the Hawks, falling 7-0 to both Norfolk State and Florida A&M to finish the MEAC Roundup. McMillan won a game in each set she played during the day, falling to NSU's Jenny Astbury and FAMU's Britney Dean 1-6, 1-6. Jackson and Vilas fought tough and got a game in each singles and doubles play against Norfolk State. She fell against Naeemah Brooks 1-6, 0-6 in her singles match, then she and McMillan fell to the doubles team of Brooks and Gabbi Johnson 1-8. Belt won a game in doubles play against FAMU falling 1-8 to the team of Shani Williams and Vanessa McCall.
