Liina Suurvarik, Alesia Mikalayeva, Laura Gravino and Alana Hoffman each posted a singles and a doubles victory as the Illinois State womens tennis team capped off its Hawaiian Tour with a 5-2 victory over Hawaii, late Wednesday.
With the win, the Redbirds finished the Hawaiian Tour with a 3-1 record and improved to 5-5 on the season.
It was a good match and were glad to come out on top, head coach Chris Hoover said. Hopefully this win will bode well for our next two matches and the conference schedule coming up in April. We got a lot tennis in on outdoor courts and that was our goal for spring break.
Suurvarik, who is ranked No. 33 by ITA tennis, topped Hawaiis Lauren Fitzgerald, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles. Mikalayeva ousted Paige Mainor in two sets 6-3, 6-2. Together, Suurvarik and Mikalayeva, ranked No. 36 as a doubles team, defeated the Rainbow Wahines Kimberly Curtis and Justine Boutet, 8-0.
Gravino rolled to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Hawaiis Renata Camargo at No. 5 singles and then teamed with Hoffman for a 8-2 victory at No. 3 doubles. Hoffman also scored a 6-3, 6-1 singles win over Hawaiis Kimberly Curtis.
The Redbirds return to action on Saturday, when Illinois State will travel to Lincoln, Neb., to face No. 54 ranked Nebraska at The Woods Tennis Center. The match is slated to start at 10 a.m.
