North Carolina Central University

TENNIS

     by Bryan Jerrod Harvey -- NCCU Sports Information Student Assistant

Eagles Bounce Back From Loss to Take Out Falcons...6-3
Durham, NC

     The North Carolina Central University men's tennis team, after losing both games in a double-header to the Virginia State University Trojans Sunday afternoon, took on the Falcons of Saint Augustine's College Monday in Durham.  NCCU seemed to take some aggression out on the visiting Falcons with a 6-3 victory over their inter-dvisional rivals from Raleigh.
     After becoming sick, and having to retire in the second match of a double-header due to heat exhaustion in Sunday's contest against VSU, Chris Brown came back to take on one of the CIAA's top players, Akin Minnis, in singles competition.  Though playing with heart, Brown's attempt at a victory was unsuccessful as he fell 0-6 in the first set, and retired before starting the second..
     The only other loss by an Eagle in singles competition came from the racket of Quonte Stevenson.  After winning the first set 6-2, Stevenson seemed to fall apart to his opponent.  Stevenson lost 3-6, 4-6 in the next two sets to SAC's Franklin King.
     In doubles competition, the Eagles only loss came by way of Troy Merritt and Brown's extra set loss to SAC's Minnis and Gremeko Stuart 8-9 (7-1).  Ryan Shands, after missing the  matches, came back strong with partner LeRoy Wray with an 8-2 victory over SAC's Eric Mahoney and King.  In the other doubles match, NCCU's Joseph Person and William Graham shut-out Etwood Woodside and Shamun Cole 8-0.
     The Eagle men will now prepare to take on Chowan College in Durham on Thursday afternoon at 3:00.
     The results of all of the matches are as follows:

SINGLES:
Akin Minnis, SAC, def. Chris Brown, NCCU, 0-6, (retired)
Troy Merritt, NCCU, def. Gremeko Stuart, SAC, 6-0, 6-1
Joseph Person, NCCU, def. Shamun Cole, SAC, 6-1, 6-0
William Graham, NCCU, def. Etwood Woodside, SAC, 6-1, 6-1
Franklin King, SAC, def. Quonte Stevenson, NCCU, 6-2, 3-6, 4-6
LeRoy Wray, NCCU, def. Eric Mahoney, SAC, 6-1, 6-4

DOUBLES:
A. Minnis and G. Stuart, SAC, def. C. Brown and T. Merritt, NCCU, 8-9 (7-1)
J. Person and W. Graham, NCCU def. E. Woodside and S. Cole, SAC, 8-0
L. Wray and R. Shands, NCCU, def. F. King and E. Mahoney, SAC, 8-2

FINAL SCORE:  N. C. Central University - 6, Saint Augustine's College - 3

Last Revised:  April 9, 2001