GRIFFITH, Ind. – The UIC women's tennis team (6-4) went without a win Saturday as it was defeated by Akron (12-2) in a 7-0 decision at Match Point Tennis.
 
The Zips took the first point as it clinched two doubles wins. Georgie Sanders and Stefana Vasic first took a 6-1 loss at No. 3 before Melika LeBlanc and Rachel Le Comber fell at No. 1, 6-2. Miranda Rodriguez Diaz de Leon and Bianca Zuzu went unfinished at No. 2.
 
While Akron took all six singles matches, two were taken to three sets by the Flames. The first match was decided at No. 1 as Sanders fell to Sophia Geier, 6-0, 6-1. Vasic then dropped a 6-2, 6-2 decision at No. 6 to Luisa Echeverry before Rodriguez Diaz de Leon was outlasted at No. 5 by Shannon Newnes, 6-3, 6-3. The final match ending in straight sets happened at No. 3, with Zuzu coming up short against Ana Rita Pedroso, 6-3, 6-4.
 
Le Comber put up a fight while competing at No. 4 as she took her first set, 6-4, before Karalina Maksimava evened it out and eventually took the 4-6, 6-1, 10-4 final. LeBlanc bounced back from a first set loss at No. 2 to take the second set, but she could not hang on in the final stanza as Ariadna Blinova came out ahead, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.
 
UIC will return to XS Tennis, where it is 4-0 this season, on Thursday (March 9) to host Niagara at 9:30 a.m. CT.