Benedict Wins 2023 SIAC Women's Tennis Title

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. –

The Benedict College women's tennis team captured their second straight SIAC championship with a 4-2 victory over Albany State on Sunday in the championship match of the 2023 Cricket SIAC Women's Tennis Championship.

Benedict earns the SIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Lady Tigers, who entered the tournament as the fourth seed, upset top-seed Clark Atlanta in Saturday's semifinals, then knocked off third-seed Albany State on Sunday.

Albany won the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles matches to earn the doubles point.

In singles play, Benedict won the top four singles matches to clinch the match. Valerie Essome defeated Asia Raulerson 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 at No. 1 singles. Essome was named the tournament's MVP.

Patricia Wamba defeated Natalya Ogunwale 6-4, 6-4 at No. 2 singles. Sofia Gomez beat Allyah Williams 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. Tanatswa Musbaeka rallied after dropping the first set to defeat Bianco Leao at No. 4 singles, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to clinch the match. Musbaeka was also named to the All-Tournament team. Albany State won at No. 6 singles, and the No. 5 singles match did not finish with the match already clinched. Celeste Diaz-Reyes, who took a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 5 singles in Saturday's semifinals, was also named to the All-Tournament team.

Essome and Sofia Gomez at No. 1 doubles were also named All-Tournament.

Benedict improves to 11-7 on the season. The NCAA regional tournaments will be held May 1-2 at campus sites. The tournament selections will be announced April 24.