Claire Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) and Dao Sysouvanh (Sun Prairie, Wis. / Sun Prairie) were both victorious in singles and doubles, but the Valparaiso University women’s tennis team dropped a midweek match to Chicago State 5-2 on Wednesday at the Valpo Tennis Complex. Valpo lost third sets in two singles matches and tiebreakers in two doubles matches.

How It Happened

• Valpo’s No. 1 doubles team of Czerwonka and Sysouvanh rolled to a quick 6-2 victory over Anastasiia Goncharova and Iesha Shepherd in the first doubles match to finish.
• The other two doubles matches came down to the wire. In fact, both needed tiebreakers to be decided. Jordan Kopfer (Eagan, Minn. / Eastview) and Isabella Schoolcraft (Bargersville, Ind. / Center Grove) fell 7-6(2) to Katarina Drazic and Diana Borodina.
• The doubles point hinged on a close tiebreaker at No. 2 as Meg Modesto (Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton) and Randi Wind (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) fell 7-6(5) to Kristina Pukhaeva and Lizi Moroshia at No. 3.
• Czerwonka and Sysouvanh both carried their doubles success over into singles play. Sysouvanh topped Pukheava 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3. Czerwonka gutted out a tight 7-6(2) win in the first set before pulling away to take Set 2 6-1 at No. 1 singles against Goncharova.
• The Cougars won the remaining singles matches to capture the victory.

Inside the Match

• Sysouvanh and Czerwonka made it back-to-back victories in doubles after their 7-5 win over UNI in their most recent match. That duo has won three of its last five.
• The aforementioned doubles pair improved to 3-4 with all seven matches coming at the No. 1 position.
• Czerwonka extended her team lead in doubles wins by garnering her 12^th, while Sysouvanh boosted her total to seven. Czerwonka is up to 27 doubles victories in her young career.
• Sysouvanh continued her recent success by grabbing her second consecutive win. She improved to 3-1 in the last four matches and 4-2 in the last six by virtue of her triumph on Wednesday. The win was her sixth overall with five coming in dual matches.
• Czerwonka upped her season win total to 10 in singles play while advancing her career win total to 24.

Up Next

Valpo (3-16) will close out the home portion of the season on Saturday at 10 a.m. against Missouri State. Weather permitting, the match is slated to take place at the Valpo Tennis Complex on campus. It will be the regular season finale and the final competition before the MVC Championship in Cedar Falls, Iowa next week.