Feb. 11, 2012
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The UIC women's tennis team pulled together to garner the doubles point and four singles wins to come out on top, 5-2, of Iowa State on Saturday at the University of Iowa's Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. The Flames go back to .500 with a 3-3 record, while the Cyclones drop to 0-4.
The squad came in strong at doubles to take all three positions and the victory. Elisa Simonetti and Teona Tsertsvadze were in a tight battle with Jenna Langhorst and Maria Macedo at No. 1 and pulled away to take the win, 8-7 (5). At No. 3, Jana Knoppe and Linda Hricistova tallied their 8-3 win against Lang and Marie-Christine Chartier. Maria Kovaleva and Haley Craig went up against Simona Cacciuttolo and Ksenia Pronina and were triumphant in a final of 8-4.
In singles action, UIC collected 4-of-6 wins at the No. 1, 3, 4 and 5 positions in two sets. Kovaleva returned to the No. 1 spot and knocked off Maria Macedo in two sets, 6-2, 6-1. Simonetti came in at No. 3 and defeated Cacciuttolo in two sets as well, 6-4, 6-3. At No. 4 singles, Knoppe took on Meghan Cassens and came out on top, 7-6 (4), 6-1. Craig captured the win at No. 5 against Langhorst, taking the match 6-2, 6-3.
Tsertsvadze was unable to outlast Pronina at the No. 2 position after going to three sets, 2-6, 6-1, 6-3. Kathryn Sharples fell in two sets, 7-5, 6-0, at No. 6 against Chartier.
The Flames return home next Saturday, Feb. 18 to host Chicago at 7 p.m. (CT) at Match Point Tennis and Fitness in Griffith, Ind.
UIC 5, Iowa State 2
Doubles
1. Tsertsvadze/Simonetti (UIC) def. Langhorst/Macedo (ISU) - 8-7 (5)
2. Kovaleva/Craig (UIC) def. Cacciuttolo/Pronina (ISU) - 8-4
3. Knoppe/Hricistova (UIC) def. Lang/Chartier (ISU) - 8-3
Singles
1. Mariya Kovaleva (UIC) def. Maria Macedo (ISU) - 6-2, 6-1
2. Ksenia Pronina (ISU) def. Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC) - 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
3. Elisa Simonetti (UIC) def. Simona Cacciuttolo (ISU) - 6-4, 6-3
4. Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Meghan Cassens (ISU) - 7-6 (4) 6-1
5. Haley Craig (UIC) def. Jenna Langhorst (ISU) - 6-2, 6-3
6. Marie-Christine Chartier (ISU) def. Kathryn Sharples (UIC) - 7-5, 6-0
Order of finish: 5, 1, 3, 6, 4, 2
