The 2025 Women's Tennis Championship got off to a thrilling start, with six captivating matches setting the stage for a dramatic tournament. The day culminated in Airez Gilbert-Simons and her Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) teammates booking their place in the CIAA Championship game after navigating two hard-fought victories in their quarterfinal and semifinal matchups.
JCSU began their campaign with a dominant performance against Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) in the quarterfinals. They swept the doubles matches to take an early advantage. Gilbert-Simons and her doubles partner did not need to complete their match as the point was already secured. JCSU then clinched two singles victories to seal a decisive 4-1 win and advance to the semifinals. Notably, Gilbert-Simons did not take to the court for her singles match in this round.
The semifinal clash against Bluefield State University proved to be a much tighter affair, with JCSU ultimately edging out a 4-3 victory. The doubles point went the way of Bluefield State, with Gilbert-Simons and her partner suffering a 6-4 defeat to Azia Thomas and Marissa Paul. However, Johnson C. Smith showed resilience in the singles, winning the first four matches to secure the overall victory. In this instance, Gilbert-Simons' singles match was forfeited, but her teammates' strong performances had already secured their place in the coveted CIAA Championship final.
The victories highlight the strength and determination within the Johnson C. Smith squad, and Gilbert-Simons will be eager to take to the court in the championship game as they aim to lift the trophy.
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