Dover (Oct. 5, 2008) --- Delaware State's hopes of challenging the top women's tennis teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) next spring took a big step forward after a 5-2 win over Norfolk State on Sunday afternoon. The Hornets, 6-0 this fall, defeated the Spartans for the first time in Alex Becton's 11 years as the team's head coach. Norfolk State shut out DSU in last spring's MEAC Tournament en route to an appearance in the tournament championship match. In Sunday's contest, Delaware State won four of six singles matches, and two of three in doubles. Yaroslava Balakhonova (No. 2 singles) was an easy winner, topping Brittany Foster, 6-0, 6-1. Polina Razborova (No. 4) also won in straight set for the Hornets, besting Jennifer Astburg, 6-1, 6-2. DSU's Hannah Adewumi (No. 6) improved to 6-0 in singles play with a three-set victory over Ashlee Daughtery (6-4, 2-6, 10-6). The No. 1 singles contest was awarded to Delaware State's Cristina Andrade Pires on a retirement (6-2, 2-6, 1-4 ret.). DSU's Anna Kovtun (No. 3) and Cassandra Newton (No. 5) were each defeated for the first time this fall in singles play. In the doubles competition, Kovtun and Razborova teamed up for an 8-0 win in the No. 3 contest, while Balakhonova and Pires outdueled Norfolk State's Lerissa Morris and Velebova 8-6 in the No. 1 match. Delaware State won by shutout in each of its first five matches this fall. The Hornets  return to action on Tuesday (Oct. 7) at Drexel in Philadelphia.