Saturday, April 10, 2010

Valparaiso’s women’s tennis team took to the road for the final time in 2010 on Saturday, dropping a 7-0 decision against UIC at UIC Outdoor Courts in Chicago, Ill.

UIC (16-3, 6-0 Horizon) opened sweeping all three doubles contests for the day’s first point.  Mariya Kovaleva and Kristen McPhillips defeated Brittany O’Reilly (Green Bay, Wis./Southwest H.S.) and Abby Wright (Sarasota, Fla./Pendleton H.S.) 8-1 at the top spot while Elena Antakova and Ilinca Cristescu downed Katie Bilyeu (Terre Haute, Ind./South Vigo H.S.) and Camill Burden (Richmond, Ind./Richmond H.S.) by the same score at number two doubles.  At third doubles, Amy Jellish and Jenna Reisch topped Jackie O’Reilly (Green Bay, Wis./DePere H.S.) and Stephanie York (Elkhart, Ind./Jimtown H.S.) 8-4.

Singles play saw the Flames win all six matches in straight sets.  Kovaleva defeated Wright at the top spot 6-3, 6-0 while Cristescu was a 6-1, 6-1 winner against Brittany O’Reilly at number two singles.  At three, McPhillips defeated Bilyeu 6-1, 6-2 while Antakova was a 6-0, 6-2 winner against York at the fourth spot.  Jellish downed Jackie O’Reilly 6-0, 6-1 at number five while Zlatka Petrova was a 6-0, 6-0 winner against Christine Antrobus (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead H.S.) to round out the lineup.

Valparaiso (0-13, 0-6) will begin its season-ending homestand next Saturday afternoon as the Crusaders host Wright State in a 1 p.m. match at the Valpo Tennis Complex.