Friday marked a historic day for the Valparaiso University women’s tennis program in more ways than one.

The program hosted a Missouri Valley Conference Championship for the first time – marking the third time Valpo has hosted an MVC Championship in any sport – as the Beacons played host to a full day of MVC Individual Championships action at The Courts of Northwest Indiana in Valparaiso. That provided the perfect setting for a record-setting achievement by Claire Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy), who shattered the program record for career doubles victories.

How It Happened

• Claire teamed up with her sister Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy), for an 8-4 victory over the Stony Brook doubles combo of Sreeves/Medved in Flight 1 Doubles.
• Valpo dropped tight matches in Flight 2 and Flight 3 doubles.
• Junior Demi Jhaveri (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) battled from a set down to take her first-round match in the Flight 4 singles main draw. She grinded out a 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Stony Brook’s Sara Medved and will face Drake’s Mille Haagensen in Saturday’s semifinal.
• In Flight 5 singles, sophomore Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) punched her ticket to the semifinal round of the main draw. She edged Missouri State’s Tiera Jarmond 7-5 in the opening set before pulling away for a 6-1 victory in Set 2. Bertino will play Drake’s Darinka Stephan in Saturday’s semifinals.
• Valpo also earned a Round-1 win in Flight 6 singles, where Isabella Schoolcraft (Bargersville, Ind. / Center Grove) cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Kate Miley of Missouri State. Schoolcraft will face off with Illinois State’s Penelope Abreu on Saturday.
• In Flight 2 singles, Olivia received a first-round bye by virtue of being the top seed. She will face Stony Brook’s Loreto Rubio in Saturday’s semifinals.
• Junior Amanda Tabanera (Valencia, Calif. / Valencia) rolled to a straight-set victory in Flight 3 singles consolation play, topping UNI’s Emma Carr in a pair of tight sets – 7-5, 6-4. That victory came after Tabanera fell 6-3, 6-4 to Bradley’s Kirstin Hailey in the main draw.

Inside the Matches

• Claire earned her 56^th career doubles victory, surpassing the program’s previous career record of 55 set by Mara Sonkin (2000-2004).
• Tabanera’s win was the 25^th of her collegiate career and her fifth this season.
• Schoolcraft upped her season win total to four and her career singles win total to 21.
• Jhaveri increased her season singles win total to five and her career singles win total to 21.
• Bertino grabbed her 10^th career singles victory. She improved to 4-1 this fall.
• The Czerwonka sisters collected their fourth win as a doubles tandem this season. Olivia lifted her career doubles win total to 29.

Up Next 

The three-day event will continue on Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Valpo Tennis Complex. Play is expected to transition back outdoors on Saturday after Friday’s weather led to indoor competition.