April 5, 2014

Milwaukee 4, UIC 3

MILWAUKEE - The UIC women's tennis team (5-10, 2-1 HL) dropped its first Horizon League match of the season Saturday with a 4-3 defeat at Milwaukee (10-7, 4-0 HL). The Flames won three singles matches but lost the doubles point at North Shore Elite Sports Club.

UIC, which has won the Horizon League Tournament 17-straight seasons, lost for just the second time in Horizon League play over the last 18 years. The Flames are now 120-2 in conference play in that span.

Natalia Kuvakina and Mariana Palacios easily won at the first singles spot by a score of 8-2. The pair picked up its second win at No. 1 this season. Jana Knoppe and Ann-Sophie Hahn fell by a score of 8-5 to Hayley Marshall and Alysa Straub at the second singles position while Keti Mebuke and Veronica Lacerda were defeated at the third spot by Christina Colarossi and Kristin Kurer, 8-3.

Following a tight first set, Kuvakina fell to Diana Tokar in straight sets (7-5, 6-2) at the No. 1 position. Palacios (6-1, 6-3), Knoppe (6-0, 6-2) and Mebuke (6-2, 6-1) all won in straight sets at the No. 2, 3 and 4 positions. Knoppe has won 11 consecutive matches while Palacios (4) and Mebuke (3) also own win streaks in singles play.

Hahn fell at the No. 5 position in straight sets (6-1, 6-0) before the decisive matchup between Lacerda and Kurer at the sixth spot. Lacerda won the long first set, 7-5, before dropping the final two sets by scores of 6-4, 6-4.

The Flames conclude the Wisconsin road trip against Green Bay at 2 p.m. on Sunday. UIC picked up a 7-0 victory during last season's meeting at home.

-UIC-