UIC will play the first of four straight matches, and six of eight, in Chicagoland when the Flames take on DePaul Saturday evening.
The crosstown rivals have squared off regularly early in the past several seasons. Though DePaul has the upper hand in the team results, UIC's battle-tested squad is ready for the challenge.
Niko Wasilewicz defeated the Blue Demons' Lars Minaas in singles play at last fall's ITA Regionals.
The match, which will be held at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness, will begin at 5:15 pm, in a change from the originally announced time.
The Flames will play three straight home matches, and two at Northwestern, in the coming weeks. Trips to Illinois State and Marquette dot the schedule as well.
Last Time Out
- The Flames opened the season with losses to top-tier squads from Butler and Western Michigan last weekend.
- UIC took one point in each match.
Flames to Watch
- Pelle Strandberg is 2-0 in singles play. He earned the team's points at #5 singles against Butler and Western Michigan.
- Counting tournament play last fall, Kasper Parlklo is second on the team in singles wins. His six victories trail only Strandberg's eight.
- Though the Flames have yet to win a doubles set in dual match play, the teams of Johan Hedstrom and Parlklo, and Luiz dos Santos and Strandberg each won three times in the fall.
Scouting the Opposition
- This is DePaul's first dual match of the season.
- Luuk Wassenaar and Chris Casati were the Blue Demons' most prolific singles players over the fall, with a combined 18 wins across three invitationals and ITA Regionals.
- Casati teamed with Boris Spanjaard to go 11-4 in doubles last fall.
