SSU tennis programs drop season-opening contests to UPike

PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- In a pair of matches that were held at former Mid-South Conference rival Pikeville (Ky.), the men's and women's tennis programs at Shawnee State dropped 7-0 decisions in their season-opening matches Saturday.

On the men's tennis side of the spectrum, Ryan Fox and Daniel Cristobal, along with Ishamael Dowuona and Zinedine Arva Purbo, each took two games apiece in doubles play at the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions, respectively -- while Dowuona won three games in both sets that the Ghana native played in at No. 1 singles and Cristobal two games in both sets at No. 2 singles. Arva Purbo took one game at No. 3 singles while Adam Stanley collected two game wins in his opening set at No. 5 singles.

In women's tennis competition, Antonia Ilea and Miranda Johnson each won a set at No. 2 doubles. Ilea also won two games in both sets of competition at No. 2 singles, while Vanessa Akuaku took two games in the opening set and three games in the second set at No. 1 singles. Johnson won a game at No. 4 singles to conclude matters for both programs.

Shawnee State will be back in action from Thursday, Sept. 26 to Sunday, Sept. 29 when the Bears compete at the four-day ITA-NAIA Men's and Women's Southeast Regional Championships, which will be held at Georgetown (Ky.) throughout the latter part of the week.