The dynamic duo of Liina Suurvarik and Alesia Mikalayeva plan to lead the Illinois State womens tennis team to their eighth consecutive win and stay undefeated in the Missouri Valley Conference when they travel up I-74 to take on Bradley, Wednesday at 5 p.m.
The tandem of Suurvarik and Mikalayeva continued their winning ways Sunday with a 8-0 doubles win over Creightons Diedre Senders and Molly Green. The victory put Suurvarik second on the Redbirds all-time doubles win list, with 79, just 13 victories behind her playing partner Mikalayeva, who owns the school record with 92 doubles victories.
In singles play, Suurvarik is just as dominating, posting 32 wins this season, which is seven victories shy of the single-season win mark of 39, held by Janelle Crabtree in 1995. Suurvarik is currently No. 5 on the Redbirds all-time career singles list with 93 victories, and is seven wins behind Jennifer Liepa, who has 100.
Head coach Chris Hoover said that Suurvariks accomplishments should speak for itself.
Liina is about to reach some marks that I thought were untouchable, Hoover said. By the time she leaves it will be pretty hard to match any of the records she has set.
After Wednesdays match at Bradley, the Redbirds will finish up conference play with two road meets when they travel to Evansville on Saturday, April 18, and Southern Illinois on Sunday, April 19.
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