CARY, N.C. (March 16, 2023) -- Morgan State men's team dropped four consecutive singles matches as the Bears fell 5-2 to South Carolina State at Cary Tennis Park on Thursday to open the MEAC Tennis Roundup. With the loss, the Bears drop to 2-7 (0-1) on the season, while the Bulldogs improved to 4-7 (1-0).
The Bulldogs claimed the doubles point when Peter Sasso and Rostislav Haflinger defeated Makkijha Brown and Sebastian Lopez 6-2 at No. 2 doubles to give SCSU a 1-0 lead. Niles Rachal and Rhajzon Rankins fell in their No. 1 doubles matchup with Aissa Benchakroun and Benjamin Niv by a final score of 6-4.
SCSU kept the pedal to the medal as they reeled off four consecutive wins in singles action. Sasso began singles play with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Martial Kawunda at the No. 6 slot.
At No. 2 singles action, Luka Stefanovic defeated Sebastian Lopez 6-4, 6-2, and Haflinger recorded a 6-3, 6-1 win against Brown at No. 5 singles.
Niv clinched the win for the Bulldogs with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 win over Rankins at No. 4 singles. The Bears captured the last two singles matches. Mikeal Carpenter defeated Benchakroun 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, while Niles Rachal recorded a 6-4, 6-4 win against Mikalai Bankou at No. 3 singles.
The Bears look to get in the win column when they prepare to face North Carolina Central on Friday at 3 p.m.
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Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
