For Immediate Release: March 24, 2011
Contact: Kevin Solan (sports1@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Bearcats edged by South Carolina State 4-3
Senior Anna Edelman and junior Jillian Santos post pair of victories

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- The Binghamton University women's tennis team (5-8) battled a 14-2 South Carolina State program down to the wire, but fell by a narrow 4-3 margin in a dual match Thursday afternoon. The Bearcats secured the doubles point and won a pair of singles matches against a Lady Bulldogs squad that had won eleven straight matches via shutout entering the competition.

"We played extremely smart tennis with the gusting wind and almost pulled it out," head coach Libby McGovern said.

Senior Anna Edelman and junior Jillian Santos each won a pair of matches. Edelman, who was named the America East Player of the Week on Tuesday, teamed with junior Basak Gone at first doubles for an 8-6 triumph. The tandem of Santos and senior Yulia Smirnova prevailed by the same 8-6 margin at second doubles.

The Lady Bulldogs rallied in singles action, winning four of the six matches to earn their 14th win of the season. Edelman was a 6-4, 7-6 victor at the top singles spot, while Santos rallied after dropping the first set for a three-set win.

The Bearcats will conclude its spring break trip down the East Coast with a dual match against the Richmond Spiders Saturday morning at 11 a.m.

Doubles

1. Anna Edelman/Basak Gone (BU) def. Daria Sekerina/Maria Cracium (SCSU) 8-6
2. Jillian Santos/Yulia Smirnova (BU) def. Suhaila Jad/Sabrina Mendez (SCSU) 8-6
3. Akilah James/Laura Bosneag (SCSU) def. Marina Bykovskaya/Emma Leibowicz (8-3)


Singles

1. Anna Edelman (BU) def. Daria Sekerina (SCSU), 6-4, 7-6
2. Jillian Santos (BU) def. Suhaila Jad (SCSU), 1-6, 6-4, 6-0
3. Akilah James (SCSU) def. Yulia Smirnova (BU), 6-2, 7-6
4. Maria Cracium (SCSU) def. Marina Bykovskaya (BU), 6-2, 7-6
5. Sabrina Mendez (SCSU) def. Emma Leibowicz (BU), 6-3, 6-0
6. Laura Bosneag (SCSU) def. Jennifer Fridman (BU), 6-3, 1-4, 6-4