CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The UIC men's tennis team lost a hard-fought match to UIW Thursday in the opening round of the 2023 Southland Conference Men's Tennis Championship. The Flames struggled in doubles, but
Pelle Strandberg (No. 1 singles) and Newcomer of the Year
Aleksa Bucan (No. 2 singles) won their matches, keeping the team within reach. The Flames eventually fell to the Cardinals 4-2.
DOUBLES
SINGLES
- Noah de Luna kept the pressure on the Flames, defeating Kevin Kruzel at No. 6 (6-3, 6-2).
- At No. 2, Newcomer of the Year Aleksa Bucan won 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) to earn UIC's first point, keeping his nine-match win streak alive and improving to a 14-8 overall record on the season.
- Incarnate Word led 3-1 after Ammar Wazir dropped his match against Jose Garmendia, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 5, with the final three matches all going to three sets.
- Pelle Strandberg put the Flames within one after winning a close contest at No. 1, outscoring Pietro Perego 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
- A tight match at No. 3 ended in a loss for Miroslav Cvjetan (3-6, 6-3, 3-6), and the Cardinals were victorious with No. 4 singles going unfinished.
COACH'S COMMENT
"I want to thank everyone who was part of the program this year and especially our seniors who laid the foundation for this team," said head coach Jovan Parlic. "These guys gave it their all out there and showed everyone what being a Flame and representing the great city of Chicago should look like. We competed with a lot of heart and fight all year long. I'm so proud of this team, and I can't wait for next season."
The Flames finished the 2022-23 season with an overall record of 9-14. The tennis program would like to thank its fans, family members and alumni for their support throughout the year.
