The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) held its 2015 Tennis Championships from April 10-12, 2015 in City Park at Pepsi Tennis Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Braves and Lady Braves fought diligently throughout the Tournament as if to say, “We have something to prove.”
Being that the Braves had a Number 1 seeding and the Lady Braves had a Number 2 seeding the two didn’t begin Tournament play until Saturday, April 11th at 9:00 am and 1 am, where their opponent was Jackson State University. In singles competition the Lady Braves’ Aida Kelic defeated Jackson State’s A. Zviahintseva 6-0, 7-6, Lady Brave Siobhan Ryan-Bovey defeated Jackson State’s Ilona Zaishliuk 6-0, 6-1, Lady Brave Kate Patapova defeated Jackson State’s Akshatha Ananth 6-1, 6-1 and Lady Brave Aakanksha Punj defeated Jackson State’s Daria Butorina 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. The Lady Braves ended the competition beating Jackson State 4-3.
The Alcorn men began their Tournament play after the Lady Braves finished their matches. The Braves didn’t fare very well as they lost to the Tigers of Jackson State 4-1. With the Lady Braves defeating the Lady Tigers this set up a Championship match between long time rival and Number 1 seeded Southern University Jaguars to be played on Sunday, April 12th at 9:00 am.
Due to inclement weather on Sunday the Championship match was moved to the New Orleans Hilton Riverside Indoor Tennis Facility. The Lady Braves battled to the very end as they fell behind early 1-0 but Aida Kelic tied the score 1-1 by defeating Lady Jag Laura Syori 6-3. Unfortunately that was the Lady Braves’ last win as they lost to the Lady Jags of Southern 4-1. Although the Braves lost in the Championship match they will still represent the Conference in the 2015 NCAA Tennis Championships.