Oct. 11, 2010

Singles Results in PDF Format

Doubles Results in PDF Format

EVANSTON - The UIC women's tennis squad did not falter in the face of some of the regions and nations toughest opposition this weekend, holding their own at the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by Northwestern.

Newcomer Elisa Simonetti advanced all the way to the finals in her flight, defeating foes from Oklahoma and DePaul before besting NW's Nida Hamilton, whom ranks in the top 20 nationally in her age group, in a 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory. Simonetti would fall to top-seeded Miki Jocic of South Carolina, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Two-time Horizon League Player of the Year Mariya Kovaleva posted a solid victory in her opening game in her bracket, taking a 6-4, 6-1 win over DePaul's Gia McKnight before falling in three sets to South Carolina's Anya Morgina, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6). Teona Tsertsvadze also fared well on the weekend, bouncing back from a first round loss to claim a pair of wins, including a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 victory of DePaul's McKnight to close out the weekend.

Jana Knoppe and Kathryn Sharples both advanced to the semifinals in the A flight before Knoppe fell to Northwestern's Liz Kobak, 7-5, 7-5 and Sharples lost a tight three-set match to Wisconsin's Nicky Stracar, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3. Both Flames would claim victory in their consolation matches, as Knoppe defeated Iowa's Cassandra Escobar and Sharples bested Brittany Parks of Oklahoma.

Seven of the teams in attendance concluded the 2010 season nationally ranked, as Northwestern finished seventh, South Carolina 19th, Iowa 28th, Oklahoma 42nd, Louisiana State 69th, Minnesota 74th and Wisconsin capped off the year ranked 75th.

The Flames will cap off their abbreviated fall season at the ITA regional tournament on October 21-24 in Ann Arbor, Mich.