April 14, 2012
CHICAGO - With a 5-2 win over Cleveland State (12-8/4-1 HL) on Saturday at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts, the UIC women's tennis team (12-3/5-0 HL) became the lone team in the Horizon League to go undefeated this season. The win extends the Flames' Horizon League win streak to 138.
"It was a tough battle today," head coach Shannon Tully. "We had some rough spots but overall, we definitely stepped up where we needed to against a strong league opponent."
Capturing its 10th consecutive win this season, UIC came out with the doubles point and took four-of-six in singles.
With more than 50 doubles wins this season, the Flames were victorious at the No. 2 and 3 positions against the Vikings. Teona Tsertsvadze and Elisa Simonetti took the win at No. 2 over Alexandra Bush and Alex Power, 8-5, while Kathryn Sharples and Linda Hricistova won their 9-7 match over Nicole Janek and Kara Sherwood. At No. 1, Mariya Kovaleva and Haley Craig battled with Catrine Bjerrehus and Maria Lazaris before falling 8-5.
Into singles, UIC came away with wins at the No. 1, 2, 4 and 5 positions after two of the matches went to three sets. Kovaleva went up at No. 1 to defeat Bjerrehus, 6-1, 2-6, 10-8, as Simonetti came back from the first at No. 4 to capture the win over Bush, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1. Tserstvadze then took down Lazaris, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 2, with Knoppe coming in at No. 5 to top Janek, 6-2, 6-2.
Craig stayed with Sherwood at No. 3, but was unable to come away with the win after going 6-4, 4-6, 10-5. Rounding out play at No. 6, Sharples fell in a tight set of 7-6, 7-6 to Power.
Hricistova took part in an exhibition match with Mengdi Liu and came out with a 6-0 win.
The Flames return to their home courts tomorrow to wrap weekend competition with a dual match against Youngstown State. The first serve is set for 11 a.m. (CT).
UIC 5, Cleveland State 2
Doubles:
1. Bjerrehus/Lazaris (CSU) def. Kovaleva/Craig (UIC) - 8-5
2. Tsertsvadze/Simonetti (UIC) def. Bush/Power (CSU) - 8-5
3. Sharples/Hricistova (UIC) def. Janek/Sherwood (CSU) - 9-7
Singles:
1. Mariya Kovaleva (UIC) def. Catrine Bjerrehus (CSU) - 6-1, 2-6, 10-8
2. Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC) def. Maria Lazaris (CSU) - 6-3, 6-3
3. Kara Sherwood (CSU) def. Haley Craig (UIC) - 6-4, 4-6, 10-5
4. Elisa Simonetti (UIC) def. Alexandra Bush (CSU) - 1-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Nicole Janek (CSU) - 6-2, 6-2
6. Alex Power (CSU) def. Kathryn Sharples (UIC) - 7-6, 7-6
Exhibition Match: Linda Hricistova (UIC) def. Mengdi Liu (CSU) - 6-0
