With its 4-2 win over Indiana State, the Illinois State womens tennis team advanced to the championship round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament Saturday at the David Markin Tennis Courts in Peoria, Ill. Freshman Veronique Parke-Bedard led the Birds as a winner in both her doubles and singles match.
Parke-Bedard defeated Marie Caujolle 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) in the No. 3 position to lead the Birds singles winners. Parke-Bedard won the match for the team in her come-from-behind victory, in which she fought back from a 2-5 second set deficit.
It was a great win, said Parke-Bedard. I knew it was up to me to have a huge comeback, and I just did the best I could to win for my team. This proves that the loss earlier in the season to Indiana State doesnt mean anything. Were on a mission this weekend, and that is to win the tournament title.
Emilie Sechaud claimed a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Magda Faferek at the No. 4 position, while Matea Simovic rounded out the Redbird singles winners at the No. 6 spot with a 5-7, 6-0,6-0 win over Joane Lahlou. In doubles action the No. 2 duo of Parke-Bedard and Maxwell combined to defeat Narczewska and Caujolle 9-7, while Bingier and Simovic downed Faferek and Lahlou 8-5 at the No. 3 spot. Head coach Chris Hoover was pleased with the Redbird win, and hopeful the team can continue its solid play in the championship round.
I thought today we had a very good match, said Hoover. Im glad we were able to redeem ourselves from the only Valley loss we had this season. I knew that loss was not indicative of how this team could really compete, and today we got out and proved it.
I felt very strongly that we needed to get the doubles point to come away with the win in this match, Hoover continued. Veronique played lights out for us today, and I couldnt be more proud of her and the rest of this team for the way they came out and fought today. This will be our fifth championship match in the last six years, and Im looking forward to it.
The Redbirds return to action Sunday at noon for the championship match of the tournament. The Birds will face Northern Iowa at the David Markin Tennis Courts, with the winner advancing to the NCAA tournament.
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