April 13, 2013
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio - The UIC women's tennis team (13-5, 5-1 HL) was able to come back from dropping the doubles point to capture five singles matches and take a 5-2 win over Cleveland State Saturday at the Chagrin Valley Athletic Club.
The Flames were just barely edged by the Vikings in doubles, as the teams split to take a win a piece before the final match was won by Cleveland State. The win for UIC came at No. 3, where Natalia Kuvakina and Ann-Sophie Hahn defeated Mathilde Orange and Nicole Janek, 8-6.
Jana Knoppe and Kathryn Sharples fell at No. 2 to Maria Lazaris and Alex Power, while Haley Craig and Mariana Palacios suffered a 9-8 (5) loss in the deciding match at No. 1 against Alex Bush and Kara Sherwood.
UIC was able to come up with four consecutive straight-set wins to secure the win, while also taking the final match in three sets.
Keti Mebuke took the first victory at No. 6 with a 6-3, 6-4 defeat over Janek, as Palacios came in at No. 2 to take down Power in a 6-3, 6-4 final as well. Sharples came away with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 5 against Lazaris, with Craig taking a 6-2, 7-6 (5) win at No. 1 versus Orange.
The final victory came at No. 4, where Knoppe was able to come back from her first set to claim a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Sherwood. Kuvakina also went to three sets at No. 3, but fell to Bush, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-8.
Next on the schedule for the Flames is their final match of the regular season on Friday, April 19, when they take on Valparaiso at 3 p.m. (CT) at the Valpo Tennis Complex in Valparaiso, Ind.
UIC 5, CSU 2
Singles:
1. Haley Craig (UIC) def. Mathilde Orange (CSU) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
2. Mariana Palacios (UIC) def. Alex Power (CSU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Alex Bush (CSU) def. Natalia Kuvakina (UIC) 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-8
4. Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Kara Sherwood (CSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
5. Kathryn Sharples (UIC) def. Maria Lazaris (CSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Keti Mebuke (UIC) def. Nicole Janek (CSU) 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 6, 2, 5, 1, 3, 4
Doubles:
1. Alex Bush/Kara Sherwood (CSU) def. Haley Craig/Mariana Palacios (UIC) 9-8 (5)
2. Alex Power/Maria Lazaris (CSU) def. Jana Knoppe/Kathryn Sharples (UIC) 8-5
3. Natalia Kuvakina/Ann-Sophie Hahn (UIC) def. Mathilde Orange/Nicole Janek (CSU) 8-6
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
