The Valparaiso University tennis team made it back-to-back victories on Wednesday afternoon by dispatching Purdue Northwest 6-1 in Park Forest, Ill. The Beacons swept the doubles matches and prevailed on five of the six singles courts.
How It Happened
- The match got off to a winning start when Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) and Moira Silva (Houston, Texas / Houston Tennis Academy) didn’t drop a game en route to a 6-0 win at No. 1 doubles.
- Valpo clinched the doubles point when Amanda Tabanera (Valencia, Calif. / Valencia) and Elizabeth Sobieski (Muskego, Wis. / Muskego) finalized a 6-1 victory at No. 3.
- Just for good measure, Valpo finished out a 6-4 win by Demi Jhaveri (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) and Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) at No. 2 to make it a perfect doubles showing.
- All of Valpo’s singles victories came in straight sets. The first player off the court was Silva, who earned a 6-1, 6-3 success at No. 2. Not far behind was Tabanera as she prevailed 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4.
- The match-clinching victory came at No. 1 singles, when Czerwonka polished off a 6-3, 6-3 win.
- The bottom of the lineup had strong showings as well, with Sobieski orchestrating a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 6 and Bertino coming up with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph at No. 5.
- Valpo’s only blemish of the day came at No. 3 singles, where Jhaveri was forced to retire due to an injury.
Inside the Match
- Czerwonka earned her 56th career singles win and improved to 10-2 this year including 6-0 in dual matches. She is just one singles win away from moving into a tie for fifth with her sister Claire in the program record book.
- Czerwonka’s singles win came over Sienna Lopez, who was a First Team All-Conference performer in the GLIAC last season. Silva defeated Oona Kintscher, who is coming off an Honorable Mention All-GLIAC nod a year ago.
- Silva upped her team-leading win total to 12 against just two losses.
- Czerwonka upped her career doubles win total to 54, moving into a tie with Whitney Chada (2003-2007) for third in program history.
- Bertino snagged her 30th collegiate singles win, while Tabanera is up to 43 career singles wins, two away from the program’s all-time top 10. Tabanera is also up to 36 career doubles wins, five away from the program’s top 10.
Up Next
The Beacons (5-1) will be off from match competition until Saturday, Feb. 11 when they head to DeKalb, Ill. for a 6 p.m. match against Northern Illinois.