March 20, 2014
UIC 7, Valpo 0 
GRIFFITH, Ind. - The UIC women's tennis team (3-9, 1-0 HL) blanked Valparaiso, 7-0, for the seventh-straight time as it began Horizon League competition on Thursday at Match Point Tennis. The Flames came out to take the doubles point and went on to win each singles match in straight sets.
Beginning competition in doubles, seniors Kathryn Sharples and Mariana Palacios combined for the second-straight match and picked up an 8-1 win at No. 1 over Kristin Zakiewicz and Kaitlyn Hamel, while senior Jana Knoppe and sophomore Ann-Sophie Hahn clinched the point with their 8-2 win over Angelina Goheen and Michele Fredlake at No. 2. The third match went unfinished after the point was decided.
UIC came out strong in singles and brought down the Crusaders at each position. While shutting out each of their opponents, 6-0, 6-0, Knoppe won her eighth-straight match after besting Meghan Barthels at No. 4 and Hahn came out on top of Morgan Paras at No. 6.
Sharples competed at No. 1 for the first time this season and took out Hamel, 6-1, 6-0, as Palacios defeated Zakiewicz, 6-0, 6-2, at No. 2. Senior Natalia Kuvakina garnered a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 3 against Paige Heuer and freshman Veronica Lacerda remained undefeated at No. 5 with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Fredlake.
The Flames will now prepare for back-to-back days of competition as they host Butler in a non-conference match on Saturday, March 29, and continue Horizon League action against Wright State on Sunday, March 30. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CT at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts, weather permitting.
