UIC, in need of a confidence boost after losing three straight matches, got a big one in a 7-0 win over Niagara Thursday afternoon at XS Tennis.  The Flames (4-6), focused from the beginning, got winning performances up and down the lineup as they won every match in straight sets.

Kailash Panchapakesan and Christian San Andres got the Flames started off right with a 6-1 win in the #3 doubles set.  It was the first win of the season for the pair.  Niko Wasilewicz and Alvaro de la Fuente, likewise winning together for the first time, clinched the doubles point with a 6-1 win at #2.  The #1 duo of Carl Hedstrom and Marcelo Dib were tested but played well down the stretch, winning their set 6-4.

The Flames have swept all three doubles sets in each of their four victories this season.  Hedstrom and Dib improved to 3-1 in the #1 position.

"A solid effort in doubles carried over to good energy in singles," head coach Hans Neufeld said.  "Our top three played extremely well today."

Two of Neufeld's top three were the first to close out their matches.  Wasilewicz earned the first victory in the singles competition.  He downed Taylan Ozdemir, 6-0, 6-3 at #2 to move the Flames halfway to the match win.  Dib's singles match at #3 concluded soon after in a 6-2, 6-0 decision for UIC's sophomore.  Then Panchapakesan, playing the #6 singles match, earned UIC's fourth point via a 6-1, 6-2 takedown of Lukas Wenninger.  Panchapakesan evened his personal singles record at 3-3 on the season.

With three singles matches still in progress, the Flames aimed to not only close out the match with a clean sweep, but to do so without losing a single set.  They would accomplish that goal, with a bonus of keeping Niagara from winning more than three games in any set.  The Purple Eagles dropped to 1-6 on the spring.

Johan Hedstrom earned his first singles win of the season with a 6-2, 6-2 closeout of Francis Nadeau in the #4 match.  His brother Carl, the team's anchor in the #1 position all season, broke a personal three match losing streak with a 6-3, 6-2 victory.  Finally, San Andres got his team-leading fifth singles win of the season in a 6-3, 6-3 win over Brent Boleslav.

While head coach Hans Neufeld's singles lineup has been mostly stable this year, he has mixed and matched the doubles pairs.  Of this afternoon's pairings, he said, "Carl and Marcelo have been playing well together and have emerged as our number one pair.  I was glad to see them get the win today.  They have had a couple of sets called, being the last to finish, or their record could be even better.

"Nico and Alvaro were just one serve away from winning their set against Utah so it was good to see them get the clinching set today."

UIC will return to action Saturday March 18 when they host South Dakota State at Hinsdale Racquet Club.