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WTEN Senior Day
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Match Recap: Women's Tennis |

Women’s Tennis Victorious Against Valparaiso on Senior Day

The Flames secured the No. 3 seed at the 2024 MVC Women’s Tennis Championship with Sunday’s 4-3 victory

CHICAGO (April 21, 2024) – The UIC women's tennis program (9-12, 5-3 MVC) concluded its regular season in thrilling fashion, as the Flames defeated Valparaiso (1-6, 10-12 MVC) 4-3 on Senior Day at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts.
 
Junior Camille Belberka (Saint-Denis-lès-Bourg, France Seward County Community College (Kan.) secured the victory for the Flames will a thrilling three-set win at the No. 4 singles position. UIC swept the three doubles matches and also won singles matches at the Nos. 1 and 3 positions in its victory over Valparaiso. With the win the Flames clinched the No. 3 seed at the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Tennis Championship and will face No. 6 seed Missouri State in the quarterfinals Friday afternoon.
   
COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH ELIZABETH LUMPKIN ROBINSON

"It was great to be at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts in front of the home crowd for our last regular season match. I want to thank all of our fans in attendance for sending our seniors out with great support. Today was a tough match a gritty competition, but we are greatful to close out with a win are are ready for the 2024 MVC Women's Tennis Championship. We are proud but are not satisfied."

MATCH RECAP
  • The Flames won the doubles point in dominating fashion, winning all three matches. With its victory Sunday, UIC's No. 2 doubles team of Belberka and Tamara Malazonia (Birmingham, United Kingdom/St. Paul's School for Girls) finished the 2024 season unbeaten in conference play.
  • In singles action, junior Mayu Ushio (Yamaguchi, Japan/Miami University) made quick work of her opponent, winning in straight sets. The victory was Ushio's ninth of the season.
  • After splitting the first two sets at No. 1 singles Agnes Gustafsson (Paris, France/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) won her third set 6-3 to secure her eighth match victory of the season
  • With the team score tied at 3-3, Belberka pulled away in the third set at No. 4 singles, winning 6-2 to clinch the match and team victory for the Flames. The junior leads UIC with 11 singles victories in 2024.

Full results from Sunday's contest are below.

RESULTS
 
UIC 4, VALP 3

Doubles – UIC wins the doubles point
  1. Gustafsson/Ushio (UIC) def. Czerwonka/Stone (VALP) 7-5
  2. Malazonia/Belberka (UIC) def. Kelly/Bertino (VALP) 6-1
  3. Ryan/Rodriguez Gregoris (UIC) def. Silva/Sobieski (VALP) 6-4
Singles
  1. Gustafsson (UIC) def. Silva (VALP) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
  2. Czerwonka (VALP) def. Malazonia (UIC) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
  3. Ushio (UIC) def. Fernandes (VALP) 6-1, 6-4
  4. Belberka (UIC) def. Bertino (VALP) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
  5. Stone (VALP) def. Ryan (UIC) 6-0, 6-3
  6. Sobieski (VALP) def. Rodriguez Gregoris (UIC) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3
SENIOR DAY CELEBRATION
  • The Flames honored their three-member senior class prior to Sunday's match.
  • UIC's three-member senior class includes Agnes Gustafsson (Paris, France/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium), Tamara Malazonia (Birmingham, United Kingdom/St. Paul's School for Girls) and Zara Ryan (Dublin, Ireland/Utah State).
  • The trio has combined for 228 victories (106 singles, 122 doubles) during their time in Chicago.

NEWS AND NOTES
  • Malazonia and Belberka have a team-high 14 doubles wins in 2024 and are on a 11-match win streak dating back to Feb. 10.
  • UIC has won the doubles point in every conference competition this season.
  • Sunday's match was UIC's first match at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts this season. The program is 7-1 at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts over the last five seasons and is on a four-match win streak when competing at its home outdoor courts.
  • UIC's won 15 matches in a row against Valparaiso dating back to 2008. The Flames are now 22-3 all-time against the Beacons.
  • The program finished the 2024 season with six home victories. This is the tenth year in a row UIC's won at least six home competitions.
UP NEXT
  • The Flames will head to Nashville, Tenn. for the 2024 MVC Women's Tennis Championship.
  • The three-day tournament starts Friday and runs through Sunday at the Beaman Family Tennis Complex.
  • No. 3 UIC will open play against No. 6 Missouri State in the quarterfinals. Friday's match will start at 2 p.m. Saturday.
  • In the regular season meeting Flames fell to the Bears 4-3 (April 13).
  • If the Flames win Friday's match, the team will play No. 2 Illinois State Saturday at 5 pm. CT.
  • More information on the 2024 MVC Women's Tennis Championship can be found at the MVC's Tournament Central page here. 
SUPPORT THE CHICAGO COLLECTIVE
  • Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC student-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective.
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
  • For more information on the UIC women's tennis program, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UICWTEN and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_wten and @uicflames).
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