SUMTER, S.C.- The North Carolina A&T tennis team picked up their first conference win of the year in a two-day, four-match round up of MEAC Southern Division teams that was held on Sunday and Monday in Sumter, S.C. 

The Aggies (2-9, 1-4) bested Savannah State for the third straight year, putting together a 5-2 win to start off action on Sunday.  The Aggies then picked up a couple of points against Florida A&M on Sunday afternoon in a 5-2 loss.  The Aggies lost 4-0 in a collapsed match to S.C. State on Monday morning before dropping the final match, 5-2, against Bethune-Cookman.

"We had some strong individual performances, especially from Kimberly Stalling," said A&T head coach James Dunwoody.  "Kimberly Stalling played well in every match.  She fought hard for every point and she did a great job.  She only lost one match in the whole tournament, and she was ahead in all of her matches, even in the collapsed ones."

Against Savannah State, junior Kimberly Stalling picked up her second consecutive victory at the No. 1 singles spot, defeating Sandra Kristjansdottir in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0.  Freshman Jayla Scott won her second career match with a 6-1, 6-1 performance against Nicole Ashiedu.   Freshman Takeyrah Reid won 6-1, 6-1 over Tiffany Williams for her first career victory.  Senior April Burrage defeated Davita Washington 6-0, 6-2 in the No. 5 singles match.  The Aggies' first and third doubles teams picked up wins to give A&T the doubles point in the competition. 

Against the Rattlers, the Aggies saw some of the singles matches end early due to collapsed match rules.  The Rattlers won the doubles point, and three singles matches to collect their four points to win the match.  Stalling lost the first set  7-5 against Bethany Holt, but was up by 2-1 in the second set when her match was called.  Scott won her first set against Symone Townsend 6-4, and was at a 1-1 tie in the second when her match was also collapsed.  Burrage was winning her second set 4-0 after losing the first to Elysia Ortiz before her match was collapsed.

The Aggies' top three singles players-Stalling, Victorea Austin and Scott-had their matches collapsed early in Monday morning's match against S.C. State, as the Bulldogs picked up quick straight set 6-0, 6-0 wins in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth singles contests to win the match.

The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats won the doubles point, and picked up wins in four of the six singles matches to defeat the Aggies.  Stalling bested Ancia Ifill  7-5, 7-4-7-4 in the No. 1 singles match and Scott won at the No. 2 singles match by 7-6, 7-4 to pick up the lone points for A&T.

The Aggies will next compete against UNC Greensboro at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 14 at UNCG's Tennis Courts.