Liina Suurvarik began her charge, for the Illinois State womens tennis team, toward the No. 1 singles championship by defeating Jaime Noyce of Northern Iowa, 6-4; 6-1,, at the Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championship, Friday, in Springfield, Mo.
Suurvarik will face off against Katie Chiu of Creighton Saturday in semifinal action.
Suurvariks fellow Redbirds also faired well in opening round action of the Valley individual championship, as every Bird competing in both singles and doubles came out of the first round victorious. The Birds did not even drop a set on the afternoon.
The doubles competition was highlighted by a resounding victory in the quarterfinals of the No. 1 doubles championship by Suurvarik and Katri Miller over Drakes Zorana Stefanovic and Annali de Bruyn, 8-3.
Both singles and doubles semifinal action will take place Saturday, in Springfield, Mo.
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