(Raleigh, NC) – The Shaw men's tennis team easily defeated CIAA foe Johnson C. Smith 8-1, giving the Bears an 8-0 conference record and a solid grip on first place. JCSU falls to 8-3 in the conference, one game behind Virginia State.

The Bears, ranked fifth in the Atlantic region, swept the doubles and took five of six singles against JCSU, ranked 12th in the region.

CIAA Men's Tennis Player of the Week Kalada Kienka defeated JCSU's McKenzie Bean 6-2, 6-2, and with doubles partner Milos Stankovic (right), took down Bean and partner Robert Butts 8-2. Stankovic defeated Butts on the singles side 6-1, 6-1.

In the number one singles slot, Shaw's Fabio Falcato won a 6-3, 7-5 battle against Jason Stuckey and with doubles partner Medhi Ben-Cheikh took a hard-fought 9-7 win over Stuckey and Aaron Hutcherson. Ben-Cheikh defeated Hutcherson 6-2, 6-2.

JCSU's only win in the match was Jamil Jones over Antoine Jacobs in a three-set match, 4-6, 6-2, 10-4. Jacobs and Martin Faison defeated Jones and Barren Smith 8-6 in doubles, and Faison easily handled Smith 6-0, 6-1.

The Bears travel to Virginia Union on Thursday for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader, then return home on Friday to host Chowan.