HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Taking a step out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Alabama A&M (4-5, 4-3 SWAC) dropped a 6-1 decision to Middle Tennessee State (9-9, 1-4 C-USA) in an NCAA Division I women's tennis match on Friday, April 2.
Having been idle for nearly two weeks, the Bulldogs dropped the No. 2 spot in doubles as sophomore Camila Ruiz (Asuncion, Paraguay) and junior
India Woods (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) fell to Muskan Gupta and Love-Star Alexis by a 6-2 score. That would be followed by Noelle Mauro and Lilly-Sophie Schmidt posting a 6-4 win over junior
Ximena Duarte Ramirez (Asuncion, Paraguay) and senior
Nthabiseng Mashego (Alabaster, Ala.) at No. 3.
While MTSU had secured the doubles point, the best match of the day would be the final one of that portion of the contest. Juniors
Anita Bozhko (Minsk, Belarus) and
Jasmine Boyd (Marion, Ind.) pushed the Blue Raiders top tandem of Lee Barnard and Lidia Burrows as far as they could before falling by a narrow 7-6 score.
Middle Tennessee would take the first three matches of singles play to lock up the victory but the Bulldogs would still deliver a pair of strong outings. Ruiz Diaz pushed Mauro at No. 4 before falling 6-3, 6-3 while Boyd broke through with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Lee Barnard at the top spot.
Alabama A&M is set to return to action on Sunday, April 11 when they host Western Kentucky. First serve is set for 1 p.m. at the Huntsville Tennis Center.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE 6, ALABAMA A&M 1
Doubles
No. 1 Lee Barnard/Lidia Burrows vs.
Anita Bozhko/
Jasmine Boyd 7-6
No. 2 Muskan Gupta/Love-Star Alexis def.
Camila Ruiz Diaz/
India Woods 6-2
No. 3 Noelle Mauro/Lilly-Sophie Schmidt def.
Ximena Duarte Ramirez/
Nthabiseng Mashego 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles
No. 1
Jasmine Boyd vs. Lee Barnard 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 Lidia Burrows vs.
Anita Bozhko 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 Love-Star Alexis def.
Ximena Duarte Ramirez 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 Noelle Mauro vs. Camilla Ruiz Diaz 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 Muskan Gupta def.
Neha Ghare 6-1, 6-3
No. 6 Lilly-Sophie Schmidt def.
India Woods 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 5, 6, 4, 1
