April 15, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C.,April 15, 2012- The Howard University women's tennis team battled and scrapped their way through an injury-plagued season, but in the end, South Carolina State University proved to be too much as the Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lady Bison, 4-1 to win the 2012 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Women's Tennis Championship title on Sunday morning at Millbrook Tennis Center in Raleigh N.C. The title was the eighth consecutive and ninth overall for the Lady Bulldogs.

In doubles action, the two teams split games with Howard winning at the Number One position, 8-6, and South Carolina State winning at the Number Two spot, 8-2. Howard's duo of Brooke Hawthorne and Michelle Brown topped SC State's Victoriia Khatcei and Laura Bosneag, 8-6, to earn the Lady Bison the doubles victory and first point of the day.

Down 0-1 heading into singles play, South Carolina State earned their first point when Hawthorne retired at the number three position due to injury.

Tied at 1-all, South Carolina State earned additional points at the Number Two, Three and Six positions. The Lady Bulldogs captured the 2012 women's championship title at the Number One singles position with 2012 MEAC Player of the Year Suhaila Jad defeating Katelyn Stokes of Howard 7-5, 6-1.

Stokes and Brittney Morgan and Michelle Brown and Hawthorne were named to the doubles all tournament team while Brown doubled her honors be being voted to the singles all-tournament team

Khatcei and Bosneag were named Co-Outstanding Performers while head coach Hardeep Judge was named Outstanding Coach.

 With the win, South Carolina State (19-0) receives the conference's automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Women's Championship. The Division I Women's Tennis Selection Show will air Tuesday, May 1 at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com

 Listed is the 2012 All Tournament teams

2012 Women's All-Tournament Teams:

Doubles:
1. Katelyn Stokes and Brittney Morgan, Howard
2.  Suhaila Jad and Sabrina Mendez, South Carolina State
3.  Michelle Brown and Brooke Hawthorne, Howard

Singles:
T1.Suhalia Jad, South Carolina State
T1. Oleysa Palko, North Carolina Central 
T2. Chinatsu Kajiwara, Bethune-Cookman
T2. Cameron Chatman, North Carolina Central
T2. AKilah James, South Carolina State
3. Maria Craciun, South Carolina State
4. Michelle Brown, Howard
5. Victoriia Khatcei, South Carolina State
6. Laura Bosneag, South Carolina State

Co-Outstanding Performers:  Victoriia Khatcei and Laura Bosneag, South Carolina State
Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge, South Carolina State

 Runner-Up Team:  Howard University
2012 MEAC Women's Tennis Champion: South Carolina State University