UIC remained red-hot, winning their fourth straight Horizon League match in a 6-1 final over Green Bay. The Flames got off to a fast start in their lone home conference match of the season. They swept the doubles point, losing just one game in the process. The Phoenix won just three games in each of the first two singles matches, and UIC survived first-set tiebreakers in the last three en route to five straight set wins in singles play.
"We had a solid performance in doubles, and the team continued to apply pressure in singles from start to finish," head coach
Hans Neufeld said. It was the final home match in the careers of seniors
Marcelo Dib,
Piotr Lada, and junior
Kailash Panchapakesan, all of whom will be graduating next month.
The Flames stayed perfect in league play. At 4-0 they are still a half-game ahead of Cleveland State for first place. It is the best conference start since 2005, and with two matches remaining, they are already assured of their best Horizon League record since going 4-3 in 2011.
Doubles Results
Singles Results
- Parlklo was the first to wrap up his singles match. He notched his second straight conference win in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2 at #3.
- Strandberg had won three straight at #6 before moving up in the lineup the last two matches and suffering defeat both times. Back in his #6 slot, he gave the Flames a 3-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-2 win.
- Hedstrom saw his perfect conference record get spoiled by a 6-3, 6-1 loss on the #1 court.
- Anthony Nguyen, being rewarded for his solid play at #6 with a promotion in the lineup, got his first win at #4, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
- Panchapakesan went out a winner in his last home appearance, downing his opponent 7-6 (6), 6-3 at #5.
- Wasilewicz finished off the afternoon with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win at #2.
Up Next
- Just one weekend of play remains before the Horizon League tournament.
- The Flames will visit Youngstown State and Cleveland State next Friday and Saturday.
