ATLANTA-- Day three of the 2012 SIAC Women’s Tennis Championships was the championship round which featured the Fort Valley State Lady Wildcats and the Tuskegee University Lady Golden Tigers. Prior to the championship matches, the women from Stillman College met Benedict College to determine the tournament’s third place finisher.
Women’s Third Place Match:
#2 Benedict College def. #5 Stillman College (5-3)
The Lady Tigers of Benedict College (BC) claimed third place in the conference tournament after posting a 5-3 win over the Lady Tigers of Stillman College (SC).
In doubles play, the Lady Tigers jumped to an early 2-0 lead after the SC teams of Glory Zhou and Jessica Carswell defeated Elizabeth Perez and Whitney Horner, 8-3 and Darnel Howlett and Keneisha Whittington beat Eartha Blount and Jade Thornton, 8-5. Benedict won its only doubles match as Chloe Jean-Charles and India Cowell defeated Valentina Kecman and Rosana Mederios, 8-2.
BC’s dominant showing in singles play turned the tide of the match as Zhou defeated Mederios (6-0, 6-3); Carswell beat Horner (6-2, 6-3); Whittington bested Kecman (6-0, 7-5); and Cowell beat Thornton. Stillman’s only singles win came as Perez defeated Jean-Charles (6-2, 6-1).
Women’s Championship Match:
#3 Tuskegee University def. #1 Fort Valley State University (5-4)
The Lady Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University (TU) claimed the 2012 SIAC Tennis Championship by defeating the Lady Wildcats of Fort Valley State University (FVSU) in the title match, 5-4. Trailing 2-1 after doubles play, the Lady Golden Tigers took four of the six singles matches to take the title.
FVSU won the first doubles match as Chade Scott and Yonelle Aromin defeated Shaneka Knight Jermaine Scott, 8-6. The Lady Wildcats also won the second doubles as Gabriella Louis and Roberta Robinson defeated Sunny Willoughby and Cheryl Dixon, 8-6. The duo of Christa Ratcliffe and Jessica McGee gave TU its only doubles win with an 8-5 victory over FVSU’s Latesha Taylor and Markeisha Washington.
In singles action, TU won the first three matches Knight beat Robinson (6-0, 6-0); Willoughby defeated Louis (6-4, 6-1); and Jermaine Scott edged Chade’ Scott (6-3, 6-2). FVSU claimed the fourth and fifth singles matches as Aromin defeated Dixon (6-2, 6-1) and Taylor downed McGee (6-0, 6-3). The Lady Tigers were crowned champions when Christa Ratcliff defeated FVSU’s Markeisha Washington in the final singles match (6-0, 6-0).
2012 SIAC Women’s Tennis All-Tournament Team
Singles
Elizabeth Perez, Stillman College
Glory Zhou, Benedict College
Chade’ Scott, Fort Valley State University
Gabriella Louis, Fort Valley State University
Shaneka Knight, Tuskegee University
Jazmine Scott, Tuskegee University
Doubles
Glory Zhou & Jessica Carswell, Benedict College
Roberta Robinson & Gabrielle Louis, Fort Valley State University
Christa Ratcliff & Jessica McGee, Tuskegee University
Tournament MVP: Shaneka Knight, Tuskegee University
Most Outstanding Coach: Ernest Grant, Tuskegee University
3rd Place: Benedict College
Runner-Up: Fort Valley State University
2012 SIAC Champions: Tuskegee University