Contact: Renee Adam
Follow the Vikings on TWITTER
CSU Athletics on YouTube
Become a Fan on Facebook
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio - Despite an excellent doubles performance, the Cleveland State women's tennis team came up short against league-leading UIC, falling to the Flames 5-2 Saturday afternoon. The loss drops CSU to 9-10 on the season and 3-2 in Horizon League play.
"I thought we played our best doubles of the year today, and I thought that might be the difference in the match but we weren't able to continue that momentum through to singles action," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "Alex Bush has been playing good tennis for a while now and she was able to get us a point at No. 3 singles. We had our chances at some other places to either win points or extend the match, but we didn't capitalize on those opportunities. I know we are capable of beating this team, and we will just have to earn another chance to prove it by what we do the rest of the way."
The Vikings got off to a strong start Saturday afternoon, picking up the doubles point after earning two of the three victories - marking the first time that CSU has been able to earn the doubles point against the Flames since the 2008-09 season. The No. 2 team of Maria Lazaris and Alex Power was able to get on the board first, earning an 8-5 victory, before UIC was able to pick up an 8-6 win at the No. 3 spot. Alex Bush and Kara Sherwood then battled through a tough match to earn a 9-8 (5) win for the doubles point.
UIC then responded with four straight-set singles wins at No. 6, 2, 5 & 1 - clinching the match with those four points. Alex Bush posted CSU's lone singles victory on the day, earning a 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-8 win. Bush's victory marked her third straight and improved her league record to 3-2.
The No. 4 singles match was the final one on the courts Saturday, as Sherwood dropped a hard-fought three-set match, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The Vikings will continue their three-match homestand tomorrow (Sunday, April 14), hosting Valparaiso at 11:00 a.m. at Paramount Tennis Club in Westlake, Ohio.
UIC 5, Cleveland State 2
Doubles:
1. BUSH, Alex/SHERWOOD, Kara (CSU) def. Haley Craig/Mariana Palacios (UIC) 9-8 (5)
2. POWER, Alex/LAZARIS, Maria (CSU) def. Jana Knoppe/Kathryn Sharples (UIC) 8-5
3. Natalia Kuvakina/Ann-Sophie Hahn (UIC) def. ORANGE, Mathilde/JANEK, Nicole (CSU) 8-6
Singles:
1. Haley Craig (UIC) def. Orange, Mathilde (CSU) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
2. Mariana Palacios (UIC) def. Power, Alex (CSU) 6-3, 6-4
3. BUSH, Alex (CSU) def. Natalia Kuvakina (UIC) 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-8
4. Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Sherwood, Kara (CSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
5. Kathryn Sharples (UIC) def. Lazaris, Maria (CSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Keti Mebuke (UIC) def. Janek, Nicole (CSU) 6-3, 6-4
