Horizon League play begins this weekend as UIC – the preseason favorite to win the conference championship – will face a pair of league foes.  Northern Kentucky will come to town Saturday, and IUPUI will visit on Sunday.

The Flames closed non-conference play on an active six-match winning streak.  Their conditioning was tested with matches on back-to-back days last weekend in Indianapolis.  The team was up to the challenge, posting a 4-2 win over Western Kentucky and a 4-1 triumph over Butler.  UIC swept the Horizon League Player of the Week awards after those results.  Tamara Malazonia (singles) and Ana Jover and Agnes Gustafsson (doubles) won the honors.

Northern Kentucky comes into the weekend having only played two matches in the last three weeks, both of which ended in shutout losses.  Maria Koo and Sylvia Gray are tied for the team lead with five singles wins each.  All of Koo's appearances have been on the #1 court.  Koo has teamed with Laura Sola Grau to win four doubles sets.

IUPUI dropped a 6-1 decision to Butler their last time out.  The teams also have Chicago State, Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, and Illinois State as common opponents to date.  UIC defeated all of those teams, while IUPUI lost every match.  Meghan Bernard has split her team-high 10 singles wins evenly between tournament and dual match play.  Three of her wins have come in the #2 flight, helping the Jaguars to four overall wins at #2, marking their best output of any court.

Both of the weekend's matches will be held at XS Tennis.  Action will get underway at 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.