The Valparaiso University tennis team enjoyed a successful opening day of the Rocket Invite on Friday, earning a pair of victories in a hidden duals format. The Beacons bested Bucknell 5-2 and outdid Youngstown State 4-2 with the two teams scheduled to face off in doubles on Saturday.

How It Happened – Bucknell

• Valpo prevailed in a pair of straight-set singles matches over Bucknell. Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) garnered a 6-1, 6-4 victory at the No. 1 singles spot, topping a two-time All-Patriot League selection Daniela Bellini.
• At the No. 3 position, Amanda Tabanera (Valencia, Calif. / Valencia) earned a lopsided victory over Bucknell’s Tyne Miller 6-0, 6-2.  
• At No. 4 singles, Demi Jhaveri (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) registered a 6-2, 7-6(4) triumph over Bucknell’s Laurel Utterback.
• In addition, Isabella Schoolcraft (Bargersville, Ind. / Center Grove) dispatched Kate Novak in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5, while Allison McConnell (Westland, Mich. / Churchill) earned a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Caroline Marcus at sixth singles.
• The No. 2 singles match between Bucknell and Valpo was a tightly-contested battle, with Whitney King edging Claire Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) in a pair of tight sets – 7-6, 6-4.
• On Friday morning, the Valpo No. 3 doubles tandem of Jhaveri and McConnell started their weekend on a high note, besting Bucknell’s Sebulsky/Novak in a tight 7-5 match.
• All three doubles matches between the Beacons and Bison were tightly contested, with Bucknell prevailing by that same score of 7-5 at both No. 1 and No. 2.

How It Happened – Youngstown State

• Olivia moved to 2-0 on the day by coming from a set down to nip Cecilia Rosas 4-6, 7-6(2), 10-8 at No. 1 singles.
• In the No. 4 singles match, Jhaveri capped a 2-0 day by topping Youngstown State’s Elisa Rigazio 6-3, 6-2.
• Valpo prevailed at No. 5 singles on a compelling third-set tiebreak. Schoolcraft got the best of Maria Oliveria 6-3, 2-6, 13-11.
• McConnell won by default at No. 6 singles against the Penguins, but took on Toledo’s Laura Morera in an additional match and rallied to win 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.

Inside the Matches

• Olivia continued her run of success by upping her season record to 8-1 in singles play with another pair of victories against high-caliber foes. She owns 32 career singles wins and 60 victories combined between singles and doubles.
• Olivia’s win over Youngstown State came against an Akron transfer who was the team MVP at Akron in 2019-20, while her Bucknell victory came against a two-time all-league performer.
• Tabanera’s win was the 24^th of her collegiate tenure and her fourth this fall.
• Jhaveri and McConnell garnered their fourth doubles triumph of the season. McConnell upped her career doubles win total to eight, while Jhaveri is up to 19 doubles wins in a Valpo uniform.
• McConnell’s singles wins lifted her season total to four and her career total to seven.
• Schoolcraft went 2-0 on the day to bolster her season win total to three and her career singles win total to 20.  
• Jhaveri was also unblemished over her two singles matches, upping her season win total to four and her career total to 20.

Up Next 

The Rocket Invite will continue on Saturday at 9 a.m. CT in Toledo, Ohio.