April 25, 2010
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The UIC women's tennis team won its 14th straight Horizon League Championship after defeating Detroit 4-0 on Sunday morning.
The Flames started the day off claiming the doubles point with wins by Mariya Kovaleva/Kristen McPhillips and Amy Jellish/Jenna Reisch.
Ilinca Cristescu defeated Amanda Cornwell in two straight sets in singles competition. Cristescu swept set one with a 6-0 win and finished the match up with a 6-2 victory in set two.
Cristescu wrapped up the 2010 season going 21-10 in singles play, and ranks 10th on UIC's all-time career singles wins list with 61.
Zlatka Petrova earned a win in her first Horizon League Championship appearance, defeating Melanie Capuano 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.
Kovaleva secured the Flames' 14th title with a two-set win over Carolina Salas at No. 1 singles. The Horizon League Player of the Year took the match with a 6-3 win in the first set and a 6-2 victory in the second set.
Kovaleva finished the season 25-5 in singles play, the third most wins in a singles season in school history.
UIC remains undefeated in Horizon League play, extending its winning streak against conference opponents to 123 straight matches.
The Flames will make their 12th straight NCAA tournament appearance, and will learn their opponent next week. The NCAA selection show takes place on Tuesday, May 4 at 4pm CT on ESPNews.
UIC 4, Detroit 0
Doubles
1. Mariya Kovaleva/Kristen McPhillips def. Amanda Cornwell/Carolina Salas 8-3
2. Elena Antakova/Ilinca Cristescu vs. Svetlana Flankova/Sophie Sundstrom DNF
3. Amy Jellish/Jenna Reisch def. Melanie Capuano/Erin Weldon 8-4
Singles
1. Kovaleva (25-5) def. Salas 6-3, 6-2
2. Cristescu (21-10) def. Cornwell 6-0, 6-2
3. McPhillips (15-21) vs. Sundstrom DNF
4. Antakova (22-8) vs. Flankova DNF
5. Jellish (22-6) vs. Weldon DNF
6. Zlatka Petrova (15-8) def. Capuano 6-1, 6-2
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