CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State women's tennis team's quest for its first-ever Horizon League Tournament title will begin on Saturday, May 1, as the Vikings are set to begin play as the No. 4 seed in this year's tournament. The Vikings will open the Horizon League Tournament with a semifinal contest against top-seeded UIC, and a win would put them into the championship contest on Sunday, May 2.
HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | 2021 #HLTENNIS TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Horizon League Semifinals
Saturday, May 1 | vs. UIC | 11:00 a.m.
Schwartz Tennis Center | West Lafayette, Ind.
Horizon League Championship
Sunday, May 2 | vs. TBA | 11:00 a.m.
Schwartz Tennis Center | West Lafayette, Ind.
Due to the conditions created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Horizon League will not allow spectators at the 2021 Championship.
Times listed above are for outdoor matches only. In case of inclement weather, check back to CSUVikings.com for updated match times.
CLEVELAND STATE IN THE HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
The Vikings will be trying for their first Horizon League Tournament title this weekend, and will be making their 14th semifinal appearance - including their 10th straight. Cleveland State has advanced to the championship match of the Horizon League Tournament four times in program history, doing so during the 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2019 campaigns.
…VIKINGS AS THE NO. 4 SEED
This marks the sixth time that Cleveland State will be playing as the No. 4 seed in the Horizon League Tournament, but the first time since the 2009 campaign. When playing as the No. 4 seed, the Vikings own a 4-5 record in tournament play, and will be trying to advance to the championship match for the first time as the No. 4 seed.
#HLTENNIS REGULAR SEASON SLATE…
In what was a new-look Horizon League regular season schedule for the 2021 campaign, the Vikings finished with an even 6-6 record. Cleveland State picked up series sweeps over Oakland, IUPUI and Northern Kentucky, including four 7-0 victories against the Grizzlies and Jaguars. Entering tournament play, the Vikings have won seven of their last nine matches, with six of these seven wins coming against league opponents.
VASILESCU NAMED #HLTENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Earlier this week senior Miruna Vasilescu picked up major honors from the Horizon League, as she was named the #HLTennis Player of the Year. Vasilescu, who also earned a spot on the All-League First Team, is the third Viking to be named Player of the Year and the first since the 2014 campaign. Vasilescu spent the entire 2021 season playing at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, notching a team-best 16-3 singles record and an 8-4 mark in doubles action.
…LENOAN & MRCELA EARN ALL-LEAGUE HONORS
In addition to Miruna Vasilescu, Blanche Lenoan and Klara Mrecla also earned All-League honors earlier this week, both earning a spot on the All-League Second Team. This marks the second time that Mrcela earned all-league accolades, while it's the first time that Lenoan has picked up postseason honors. Lenoan finished the regular season with a 15-4 overall singles record, including a 9-3 record against league opponents playing primarily at No. 2 singles. Mrcela enters tournament play on a team-best eight-match win streak, finishing league play with an 8-4 singles record.
VASILESCU POSTS NEAR PERFECT #HLTENNIS RECORD
Through six weeks of Horizon League regular season play, senior Miruna Vasilescu posted a near perfect singles record, finishing the year with an 11-1 mark against league opponents. Vasilescu started league play with 11 straight wins, dropping her first league match in the regular season finale at Milwaukee last time out. Vasilescu's 11-1 record led all league players at No. 1 singles, while all 11 of her wins came in straight sets.
LENOAN NOTCHES 60th CAREER SINGLES WIN
During last weekend's regular season finale at Milwaukee, Blanche Lenoan picked up the 60th singles win of her career, entering tournament play ranked 12th on the CSU Singles Wins List with 60 career victories. Lenoan, who is one of 12 Vikings all-time to reach the 60-win milestone, has posted a 15-4 singles record on the year - including a 9-3 mark against league opponents.
LENOAN & AVRAM ON CSU DOUBLES WINS LIST
After posting a team-high 14-5 doubles record through the 2021 regular season, Blanche Lenoan and Kateryna Avram rank sixth on the CSU Team Doubles Wins List with a 24-6 record. Lenoan and Avram are just one win shy of becoming the sixth CSU doubles team to notch 25 wins as a tandem. Individually, Lenoan is tied for ninth with 60 career doubles wins, and is one of eight Vikings to rank in the top-12 on both the singles and doubles wins lists.
#HLTENNIS WEEKLY HONORS
Throughout the season the Vikings have been honored by the Horizon League multiple times, picking up three Singles Player of the Week honors and two Doubles Team of the Week accolades - with Miruna Vasilescu being the only three-time Singles Player of the Week honoree.
Singles Player of the Week:
Miruna Vasilescu (4.7/4.14/4.21)
Doubles Team of the Week:
Mrcela/Vasilescu (2.10), Lenoan/Avram (4.7)
HEAD COACH FRANK POLITO
Frank Polito is in his third year at the helm of the Vikings - and his ninth season overall at Cleveland State - owning a 32-25 dual match record. During the 2019 campaign, Polito led the Vikings to a share of the Horizon League Regular Season Championship - their fourth in program history - and then helped Cleveland State earn an appearance in the #HLTennis Championship match for the first time since 2014.
