April 16, 2011
MIAMISBURG, Ohio- The UIC women's tennis team took the doubles point from Wright State, and kept that momentum going into singles play as the Flames torched the Raiders Saturday afternoon, 7-0.
UIC (15-4, 7-0 Horiozon League) won all three doubles matches against the host. Juniors Mariya Kovaleva and Elisa Simonetti defeated WSU's top doubles duo of Masha Peresetsky and Kenisha Webb, 8-6. The No. 2 doubles tandem of juniors Teona Tsertsvadze and Ilinca Cristescu took down WSU's Kayla Tuscany and Taylor Hines in convincing fashion, 8-2. Junior Linda Hricistova and freshman Jana Knoppe took care of business, as they defeated WSU's Lizzy Clark and Amy Nini in a close one, 8-6.
Freshman Kathryn Sharples played in her second straight conference singles match, as she defeated WSU's Chelsea Girgash in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Hricistova and Tsertsvadze recorded their fifth straight singles match victories over WSU's Hines and Peresetsky, respectively.
Cristescu tabbed her 81st all-time singles victory when she defeated WSU's Webb with ease, 6-1, 6-2. Knoppe torched WSU's Nini without losing a game for her 15th win of the season, 6-0, 6-0. The top singles player for the Flames Kovaleva shut down WSU's Tuscany in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
With Cristescu victory in singles play, she is two wins away from tying the all-time record set by Emina Curic at 83. Cristescu is still a perfect 36-0 versus Horizon League opponents in singles play, and the Flames have also won their 130th consecutive conference match.
The Flames will travel to Indianapolis tomorrow, to take on those Butler Bulldogs who are currently in second place behind the Flames at 6-1. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m., and should be a good one to watch for the fans in attendance.
UIC 7, WSU 0
Singles:
1. Mariya Kovaleva (UIC) def. Kayla Tuscany (WSU), 6-2,6-3
2. Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC) def. Masha Peresetsky (WSU), 6-1,6-2
3. Ilinca Cristescu (UIC) def. Kenisha Webb (WSU), 6-1,6-2
4. Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Amy Nini (WSU), 6-0,6-0
5. Linda Hricistova (UIC) def. Taylor Hines (WSU), 6-1,6-1
6. Kathryn Sharples (UIC) def. Chelsea Girgash (WSU), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles:
1. Kovaleva/Simonetti (UIC) def. Peresetsky/Webb (WSU), 8-6
2. Tsertsvadze/Cristescu (UIC) def. Tuscany/Hines (WSU), 8-2
3. Knoppe/Hricistova (UIC) def. Clark/Nini (WSU), 8-6
