Jan. 21, 2011
Griffith, Ind. - The UIC women's tennis team recorded wins in the first, second, fourth, fifth, and sixth singles slots, securing a 6-1 home-opening win over Eastern Michigan. The contest took place at the Match Point Tennis Club in Griffith, Ind., Friday afternoon.
Juniors Mariya Kovaleva (No. 1) and Elisa Simonetti (No. 2), freshmen Jana Knoppe (No.4) and Kathryn Sharples (No. 5) and junior Linda Hricistova (No. 6) all picked up points for the Flames in the Flames' convincing victory.
UIC's Simonetti and junior Teona Tsertsvadze teamed up for a 9-8 (3), pro-set win at the first doubles flight against Eastern Michigan freshman Nino Mebuke and junior Miriam Westerink. The Flames clinched the doubles point when Kovaleva and Hricistova won their match 8-3, over senior Xu Chang and freshman Mariya Toncheva.
"We tried some new things in doubles by switching our line up for this match," said head coach Shannon Tully. "Although we got off to a slow start, we definitely started finding our groove and closed out two good matches at one and two".
"I was very proud of the way the team competed in singles. Mariya was really on top of her game, and shut her opponent down quickly at one. Elisa, Jana, Kathryn, and Linda all did a great job of staying on top of their opponents and finishing in straight sets."
UIC will take on host Marquette at the Helfaer Tennis Stadium Sunday morning beginning at 10 a.m. CST.
UIC 6, Eastern Michigan 1
Singles:
1. Mariya Kovaleva (UIC) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Elisa Simonetti (UIC) def. Xu Chang (EMU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Miriam Westerink (EMU) def. Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC), 6-4, 6-2
4. Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU), 6-3, 6-4
5. Kathryn Sharples (UIC) def. Marcela Rivero (EMU), 6-3, 6-2
6. Linda Hricistova (UIC) def. Celine Donnet (EMU), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles:
1. Simonetti / Tsertsvadze (UIC) def. Mebuke / Westerink (EMU), 9-8(3)
2. Kovaleva/ Hricistova (UIC) def. Chang/ Toncheva (EMU), 8-3
3. Donnet / de'Lisle-Tarr (EMU) def. Cristescu / Knoppe (UIC), 8-6
Order of Finish
Singles: (1, 5, 6, 3, 2, 4)
Doubles: (2, 3, 1)
