Box Score PIKESVILLE, Md. (Feb. 3, 2024)--After having its previous two scheduled matches postponed, the Morgan State women's tennis team returned to the court on Saturday for the first time since its season opener at West Virginia on Jan. 20.
 
Unfortunately, the Lady Bears would drop their home opener to an old foe in former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) member Hampton, 6-1 in non-conference action at Coppermine Bare Hills.
 
It was the first meeting between the two programs since the 2018 MEAC Championship match, which Morgan State defeated Hampton, 4-1 in Norfolk, Va. (4/28/18).
 
The visiting Lady Pirates improved to 1-1 on the season, while Morgan State dropped to 0-2.
 
Hampton claimed the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead with wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 spots. Morgan's doubles team of Stefania Moysiadi and Aleksandra Evdokimova would earn the first win of the season for the Lady Bears with a 6-4 victory over Hampton's Meiri Okuwaki and Masa Mitic at No. 2 doubles.
 
The short-handed Lady Bears would have to forfeit the No. 5 and No. 6 matches and dropped three of the four singles matches that were played.
 
However, at No. 2 singles, Hannah Smith would provide Morgan State with its lone point of the match and first point of the season, following a 6-3, 6-3 victory over the Lady Pirates' Diana Starodubtseva.  
  
Next Up: The Lady Bears will host the University of the District of Columbia in a non-conference match on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. at Coppermine Bare Hills.
 
How It Happened
Singles
No. 1 – Kozaki (Hampton) d. Aleksandra Edvokimova 6-2, 4-6, 10-8
No. 2 – Hannah Smith (MSU) d. Starodubtseva 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 – Meiri Okuwaki (Hampton) d. Lauryn Hall 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 – Maya Bordereau (WU) d. Stefania Moysiadi 7-6 (5), 6-2
No. 5 – Sokolova (Hampton) won by forfeit
No. 6 – Masa Mitic (Hampton) won by forfeit
 
Doubles
No. 1  - Kozaki/Sokolova (Hampton) d. Smith/Hall 6-4
No. 2 – Moysiadi/Edvokimova (MSU) d. Mitic/Okuwaki 6-4
No. 3 – Jorrin Fernandez (Hampton) won by forfeit


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ABOUT MORGAN
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.