Oct. 25, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The women's tennis trio of Elisa Simonetti (La Spezia, Italy/Schiller), Teona Tsertsvadze (Tbilisi, Georgia/Tbilisi High School No. 183) and Mariya Kovaleva (Almaty, Kazakastan/School #55) finished their run at the USTA/ITA Midwest Regional, where each student-athlete tallied at least one win.

Starting in the qualifier draw, Simonetti and Tsertsvadze battled against competition while trying to earn a spot in the singles main draw.

Beginning with a win against Kelsey Becker of Ohio State (6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-1), Simonetti went head-to-head against Nicki Stracar of Wisconsin before falling 6-4, 6-3.

Tsertsvadze defeated Amanda Dibbs of Eastern Illinois (6-4, 6-0), Aleksandra Markovic of Wisconsin (6-2, 6-4) and Mariya Toncheva of Eastern Michigan (6-2, 6-2) to qualify for the main draw. In the first round, Tsertsvadze faced Simonetti's previous opponent, Stracar, but fell 6-1, 6-2.

Entering the competition at the singles main draw, Kovaleva dualed against Noelle Malley of Ohio State in the first round, winning 6-3, 7-5, before moving on to face Sam Critser of Michigan, falling 6-1, 6-1.

The Flames tandem of Kovaleva and Simonetti competed in the doubles main draw.

First facing competition of Nicole Chiricosta and Maddie Eccleston from Bowling Green State, Kovaleva and Simonetti won 8-4. In the second round, the duo went on to play against Kara Cecil and Kelsey Dieters of Ohio State, but fell 8-2.

With the fall season under their belt, the Flames await the spring where they will compete in the Northwestern Invitational, Jan. 14-16.

COMPLETE UIC RESULTS

Qualifier Draw

Elisa Simonetti (UIC) def. Kelsey Becker (OSU), 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-1

Nicky Stracar (Wis.) def. Elisa Simonetti (UIC), 6-4, 6-3

Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC) def. Amanda Dibbs (EIU), 6-4, 6-0

Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC) def. Aleksandra Markovic (Wis.), 6-2, 6-4

Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU), 6-2, 6-2

Singles Main Draw

Mariya Kovaleva (UIC) def. Noelle Malley (OSU), 6-3, 7-5

Sam Critser (Mich.) def. Mariya Kovaleva (UIC), 6-1, 6-1

Nicky Stracar (Wis.) def. Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles

Kovaleva/Simonetti (UIC) def. Chiricosta/Eccleston (BGSU), 8-4

Cecil/Dieters (OSU) def. Kovaleva/Simonetti (UIC), 8-2