A stellar week for the Valparaiso University women’s tennis program continued on Wednesday as the team followed its 2-0 weekend by sweeping this week’s Missouri Valley Conference awards.  

Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) was named the MVC Singles Player of the Week, while Olivia and her older sister Claire were named the MVC Doubles Team of the Week.

Olivia, a sophomore, went 2-0 this week at the No. 2 singles spot, helping Valpo sweep its weekend matches and extend its winning streak to three, the program’s longest winning streak since 2007. She had a crucial victory over Northern Illinois’ Anastasia Rakita 6-4, 7-6(2) on Saturday at Chick Evans Field House in DeKalb, Ill., helping Valpo pick up a narrow 4-3 win, the program’s first triumph over a Mid-American Conference foe since 2005 and the team’s first win over Northern Illinois in the last 10 tries. The younger Czerwonka sister continued her success on Sunday, when she bested Chicago State’s Sofiya Sedovich 7-6(2), 6-3 to obtain her team-leading fifth singles win of the year.

Claire and Olivia went 2-0 this week at the No. 1 doubles spot, boosting their season record to 6-5 and extending their doubles winning streak to four. The duo topped Northern Illinois’ No. 1 doubles team in lopsided fashion, dropping just one game in a 6-1 win on Saturday. That victory helped Valpo corral a doubles point that proved pivotal in the team’s 4-3 road victory over the Huskies. The sisters sustained their success at the top doubles spot on Sunday vs. Chicago State, besting Kristina Pukhaeva and former All-Western Athletic Conference honoree Katarina Drazic 6-3. That win allowed Claire to move into a tie for sixth in program history with 46 career doubles triumphs. 

Claire has been a part of five MVC Doubles Teams of the Week in her career and has three MVC Singles Player of the Week honors. This marks her second weekly award this season after she was named the MVC Singles Player of the Week last month. Olivia earned her first career MVC Singles Player of the Week distinction and her second Doubles Team of the Week accolade. The Czerwonka sisters were previously named the MVC Doubles Team of the Week on March 10, 2020, coincidentally exactly a year prior to Wednesday’s honor.

Valpo will attempt to keep the wins coming on Saturday by hosting Oakland at 3 p.m. CT.