GREENSBORO – Sophomore North Carolina A&T women's tennis player Khalia Powell had to play as the No. 1 singles player last season for a program trying to slowly build into a contender in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. She went 2-10 in that difficult role.
This season she is the No. 3 singles player. Powell does not see her new position on the team as a demotion. She sees it as progress for the team. Plus, Powell is not doing badly as the Aggies No. 3. Powell was the lone N.C. A&T winner on Sunday as the Aggies fell to Western Carolina, 6-1 at the Aggie Tennis Complex.
Powell defeated the Catamounts' Shannon Bettiol in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. Powell is now 2-1 on the season with her previous two matches going three sets.
“Any position you play in on the court is a tough position,” said Powell about her No. 3 singles role this season. “It still requires hard work. I don't think the difference this year is where I'm playing as much as it is I'm working harder and I'm staying a little more focused on the task. I'm staying more in the moment and not getting too far ahead.”
The focus on Sunday was just keeping balls in play, according to Powell. She said Bettiol didn't make her move around the court too much and set her up with ground strokes she was able to return for points. “Her forehand was pretty good,” said Powell. “But I didn't get too nervous. I guess everything was just working for me today.”
Powell is a key part of head coach Richard Akande's rebuilding efforts. The Chicago native chose to play at N.C. A&T because it was in a warm climate, and she had prior knowledge of historically black colleges or universities because her older brother and sister attended HBCU's with her brother playing college tennis for Prairie View A&M in Texas. “The southern hospitality is amazing,” Powell added.
She joins fellow sophomore Nadia Hilton-Adams along with freshmen Staisha Cain, Angelica Maria Ochoa Martinez and Sheyla Fabiana Ramirez as one of the youngest teams in the conference.
On Sunday, Ramirez recovered from a 6-0 loss to Stacia Kissell in the first set of her No. 1 singles match to put on an entertaining second set where the two battle on the court closes to the stands where the two had some exciting rallies for the fans to watch before Ramirez's forehand went into the net to end the match with a 6-4 loss in the second.
Ochoa's No. 2 singles match against Megan McLinden was the final match completed on Sunday. Ochoa lost 6-4, 6-4 and was so exhausted from the competition she laid flat on her stomach for several minutes. Hilton-Adams also played well, losing 6-3, 6-2 to Elizabeth Ansari in No. 5 singles.
The Aggies (0-3) come into each match at a disadvantage because they only have five players. It means they automatically lose a point at No. 6 singles, and they are down a doubles match before the contest even begins. Therefore, they must sweep the remaining two doubles matches in order to earn the doubles point.
The Catamounts (3-1) won the doubles point by winning the only two doubles matches played.
“It's better to have five solid good players versus having a bunch of players who cannot hit,” said Powell. “We like the direction we're headed in. We're looking forward to getting some new players in the fall, so we should be stacked with really good players over the next few years.”
Powell finished by saying she is not ready to give up on this season yet: “I'm excited about this team. I know we're only going to get stronger as the season progresses. The goal is still to be MEAC champs.”
The Aggies are back in action Monday, Feb. 8 when they travel to Boiling Springs, N.C., to face Gardner-Webb at 2 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
Western Carolina vs North Carolina A&T
Jan 31, 2016 at Greensboro, NC
Western Carolina 6, North Carolina A&T 1
Singles competition:
1. Stacia Kissell (WCU) def. RAMIREZ,Sheyla (NCATW) 6-0, 6-4
2. Megan McLinden (WCU) def. MARTINEZ,Angelica (NCATW) 6-4, 6-4
3. POWELL,Khalia (NCATW) def. Shannon Bettiol (WCU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Savannah Taranto (WCU) def. CAIN,Staisha (NCATW) 6-0, 6-1
5. Elizabeth Ansari (WCU) def. HILTON-ADAMS,Nadia (NCATW) 6-3, 6-2
6. Alexa Webb (WCU) def. TEAM (NCATW), by default
Doubles competition:
1. Stacia Kissell/Shannon Bettiol (WCU) def. POWELL,Khalia/RAMIREZ,Sheyla (NCATW) 6-2
2. Elizabeth Ansari/Alexa Webb (WCU) def. HILTON-ADAMS,Nadia/MARTINEZ,Angelica (NCATW) 6-4
3. Montse Mesalles/Savannah Taranto (WCU) def. TEAM/TEAM (NCATW), by default
