Valparaiso University women’s tennis freshman Jelena Vujanic (Elk Grove Village, Ill. / Elk Grove) secured Valpo’s lone singles victory in a 6-1 loss to UIC on Wednesday at XS Tennis in Chicago. Vujanic rolled to a comfortable win to continue her impressive rookie campaign.  

How It Happened

• Vujanic’s victory came in consecutive dominating sets at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-1 over Amelia Guevremont.
• Valpo’s No. 3 doubles team was also triumphant in convincing fashion as Dao Sysouvanh (Sun Prairie, Wis. / Sun Prairie) and Jordan Kopfer (Eagan, Minn. / Eastview) bested Bianca Zuzu and Miranda Rodriguez 6-1.
• The Crusaders (5-9) had a chance to secure the doubles point as Vujanic and Claire Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) led their match at No. 1 against Melika LeBlanc and Rachel Le Comber, but Czerwonka suffered a forearm injury that changed the complexion of the match. She played through it, but UIC eventually prevailed 6-4.
• The Flames (9-6) also won at No. 2 doubles with Georgie Sanders and Viktoria Seifert topping Meg Modesto (Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton) and Randi Wind (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South).
• Czerwonka started her singles match against Sanders at No. 1, but was unable to finish and defaulted due to injury.
• The Flames also had straight-set wins at No. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Inside the Match

• Vujanic is now 17-3 on the year and is tied for eighth in program history for wins in a single season with Mara Sonkin (2001-2002) and Kate Evangelist (2005-2006).
• Furthermore, Vujanic holds an .850 winning percentage this season, a mark that would currently rank fourth all-time. Only four Valpo players have ever finished a season with a winning percentage of .800 or better.
• Kopfer and Sysouvanh each picked up their eighth doubles win of the season and their second as a pair.

Up Next

The Crusaders will begin Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, hosting back-to-back matches on Saturday and Sunday. Drake will provide the opposition on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Match Point Tennis Club in Griffith, before UNI comes to town for a 10 a.m. start on Sunday.