CHICAGO – The UIC women's tennis team (12-9, 5-3 MVC) is heading to Normal, Ill. for the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Championship, its first as members of the conference. The No. 4 seed Flames will take on No. 5 Murray State in the Opening Round Friday. Hosted by top-ranked Illinois State, the tournament promises to be a real test for the Flames. UIC is entering conference championship play on a three-match win streak.

SCOUTING MURRAY STATE

• The No. 5 Racers are 10-10 on the season, with a 4-4 record in Missouri Valley Conference play.
• This will be the second time the two teams have faced this season; the Flames beat the Racers 5-2 on Mar. 31.

• Several Flames are on winning streaks heading into the conference championship. Natalia Nikolopoulou has won her last three singles matches and went 6-1 in conference play. The graduate student has won nine of her last ten matches and has a 20-9 overall record on the season.
• Agnes Gustafsson has won four matches in a row at No. 1 singles. At No. 1 doubles, Gustafsson and Ana Jover are on a three-match winning streak. The two have won 12 out of 18 matches they have played together at doubles.
• At No. 4 singles, Jover has won four matches in a row, and enters the MVC Championship with a 13-7 record in singles play.

• Friday's quarterfinals match against No. 5 Murray State will take place at the Gregory Street Tennis Courts at 10 a.m. CT. The winner will play No. 1 Illinois State on Saturday, April 22, at 10 a.m.