SU men’s tennis claim title, women finish second

Southern’s tennis teams finished up their seasons strong this weekend as the men claimed its first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship since 2004, and the women lost in the final round to eventual champion, Alcorn.
Southern’s women (9-10) swept through SWAC competition during the regular season, but fell 4-3 to Sunday. The Lady Jaguars had four players selected to the six-member All-SWAC first team.
The men, also undefeated in SWAC play during the regular season rallied with wins at the Nos. 4-6 positions, edging Prairie View 4-3 at the City Park Tennis Complex. The win gives the Jaguars a birth in next month’s NCAA tournament.
The men also won the doubles point but then lost the Nos. 1-3 in singles play. Elvis Espinal, named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, won at No. 4 in two sets over Kudakwashe Nyatoti 6-3, 7-5 to keep the Jaguars in contention.
Meanwhile, because of the four-court setup, Nos. 5-6, Tyler Chin and Kashwayne Nelson, had to watch and wait their turn instead of playing consecutively with the other singles matches. Southern trailed 3-2 when they took their turn.
Nelson, a first-team All-SWAC player, won in two sets, finishing first. Chin, a second-team All-SWAC selection, won in three sets, giving Southern the team title.
Nelson beat Jeremy Hubb, on the All-SWAC first team as well, 7-5, 6-3 and Chin beat Jose Garcia in a marathon 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Southern won the doubles point and got wins from Wiltz at No. 2, 6-2, 6-1 over Stefania Guzman, and Kathryn Curtis, the SWAC Freshman of the Year, over Felicia Chien 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3.
Then Alcorn rallied for a comeback.
Swetha Devaraj, second-team All-SWAC, beat Janelle Mosley, first-team All-SWAC, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 at No. 1. Katherine Hoepelman defeated Bethlehem Workeneh, another first-team All-SWAC selection, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 at No. 4. Claudia Gonzalez, a first-teamer, beat Sydney Lartigue, a second-teamer, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5. And Sarah Peters, a first-teamer, beat Gabrielle Marshall 7-6, 1-6, 6-1 at No. 6. Peters was named the Most Outstanding Player.
Southern is 15-1 in the regular season in SWAC play in the last two seasons, but lost in the semifinals last season and the final this time.
Southern had beaten Alcorn 5-2 on Feb. 29. in Baton Rouge, but since then the Lady Braves haven’t lost a SWAC matchup. Alcorn also had the top seed in the Eastern Division and placed two players on the All-SWAC first team and two on the second team.
Friday’s results – WOMEN
Prairie View A&M 4, Jackson State 0
Grambling State 4, Alabama A&M 2
MEN
Prairie View A&M 4, Alabama State 0
Grambling State 4, Alcorn State 3
Saturday’s results – WOMEN
Alcorn State 4, Prairie View A&M 3
Southern 4, Grambling State 0
MEN
Prairie View A&M 4, Jackson State 2
Southern 4, Grambling State 2
Sunday’s results
WOMEN’S FINAL
Alcorn State 4, Southern 3
MEN’S FINAL
Southern 4, Prairie View A&M 3