Dover, Del. (Oct. 1, 2012) --- Delaware State University's first appearance at the Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) National Tennis Invitational was quite a success. The Hornet women finished a close second among 20 teams at the annual event last weekend at the Clayton County Tennis Center in Atlanta, Ga.
Delaware State collected 20 points in the event, just one behind champion Bethune-Cookman. Perennial champ Southern University was third.
Four Hornets also earned HBCU All-America recognition during the event. Ksenia Kozlova (so.) and Brittany Marshall (fr.) were honored for their performances in singles and doubles competition, while Vanja Andonova (so.) and Marina Sicic (sr.) were recognized for their doubles play.
Kozlova won three singles matches-two in straight sets- before falling in her bracket finals. Marshall posted three singles wins, including two straight set victories, before a semi-final loss.
Kozlova and Marshall were on opposite teams in an all Delaware State doubles final.
Marshall and Sicic outlasted Hornets teammates Andonova and Kozlova for a 9-8 (7-5) victory in the doubles championship. The win capped off a perfect 4-0 doubles record for Marshall and Sicic during the tournament.
Andonova and Kozlova won their first three doubles contests before the championship round loss.
'This is an historic achievement for our program," said Delaware State tennis coach David Marshall. "Our girls fared extremely well against some top flight competition. The tournament atmosphere and support are amazing and it's an honor for DSU to be invited."
The Delaware State women's tennis team returns five of the top six players from its record-setting 2011-12 squad. The Hornets won a school-record 16 straight matches and captured its first MEAC Northern Division title last season.
In addition, DSU's Vanja Andonova was the 2011-2012 MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year.
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY 2012 HBCU NATIONAL SINGLES/DOUBLES RESULTS
Singles
Ksenia Kozlova (DSU) def. Daolo (Hampton) 6-2, 6-1
Kozlova (DSU) def Moore (Southern) 6-4,4-6,10-8
Kozlova (DSU) def Harrell (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
Kajiwara (Bethune-Cookman) def. Kozlova (DSU) 6-1, 6-4 (finals)
Brittany Marshall (DSU) def Hawkins (NCA&T) 6-0,6-0
Marshall (DSU) def Davis (Southern) 6-3, 7-5
Marshall (DSU) def IFill (Bethune) 1-6, 6-1,10-8
Kajiwara def Marshall (DSU) 6-1, 7-5 Semi Finals
Maya Banas (DSU) def Stallings (NCAT) 2-6, 6-2, 10-8
Woods (Southern) def Banas (DSU) 6-2, 6-1
Kristina Aleksic (DSU) def Cardoso (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) 6-3, 6-2
Scott (NCAT) def Aleksic (DSU) 6-3, 4-6, 10-8
Andonova (DSU) def Baptiste (Clark Atlanta) 6-1,6-1
Alexis (Southern) def Andonova (DSU) 6-1, 6-3
Rodriguez (Bethune) Def Harrison (DSU) 6-2, 6-0
Marina Sicic (DSU) def Zhou Benedict 6-0, 6-2
Dimitrova (Bethune) def Sicic (DSU) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
Marshall-Sicic (DSU) def Bunch-Daniels (Southern) 8-3
Marshall-Sicic (DSU) def Ortiz-Townsend (FAMU) 8-4
Marshall-Sicic (DSU) def Cabane-Cardoso (Arkansas Pine Bluff) 8-4
Marshall-Sicic (DSU) def Andonova-Kozlova (DSU) 9-8 (7-5)
Andonova-Kozlova (DSU) def. Arcos-Rodriguez (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) 8-5
Andonova-Kozlova (DSU) def Ifill-Rodriguez Bethune 8-5
Andonova-Kozlova (DSU) def Davis-Taylor 8-3
Marshall-Sicic (DSU) def Andonova-Kozlova (DSU) 9-8 (7-5)
Blackwood-Dean FAMU def Aleksic-Banas (DSU) 8-5
