April 22, 2006
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State swept Southern Illinois, 7-0 on Saturday, which gave the Redbirds their fourth consecutive first-place regular season Missouri Valley Conference title and fifth within the last six years. This is the 123rd conference championship for Illinois State since it joined the Valley in 1981. The Redbirds (12-5, 8-1) share the title with Indiana State which currently sits at a 16-4 overall and 7-1 in the league.
Head coach Chris Hoover is delighted with team's fourth consecutive first-place title, and looks forward to the Valley tournament next weekend.
"I'm really pleased with the share of the title," said Hoover. "We are on a winning streak and will be able to argue for the No. 1 seed in the MVC championships. We just need to get to that tournament and win three matches in order to win the title. We'll just take it one match at a time."
The `Birds put the first point on the board with their win in doubles. Katri Miller and Michelle Rabinovich took an 8-2 victory over Maria Blanco and Zuzana Palovic in No. 1 doubles, and Ashley Maxwell and Véronque Parke-Bérdard had the same result in their win over Zoya Honarmand and Amanda Taileffer for No. 2 doubles. The No. 3 double pair of Nicole Schneider and Matea Simovic downed their opponents, Laura Bredniak and Kathleen Maher, 8-0.
Seniors Emilie Sechaud, Maxwell and Schneider concluded their last home match at Illinois State with triumph. Schneider finished her No. 5 singles match with success, defeating Bredniak, (6-1, 6-1), and has extended her streak to 12 wins, and a 15-2 record overall, 8-1 in the Valley. Maxwell beat Kathleen Maher in two straight sets for the No. 6 spot, (6-0, 6-2), and Sechaud did the same in her 6-1, 6-0 victory over Honarmand in No. 3 singles.
Hoover states that he will miss the three seniors and wishes the best for them.
"I am always really pleased when we have our players come in as freshman, like Emilie and Ashley, and see them graduate, and having Nicole was a great addition for our team this year. She has won some great matches and has helped the team out a lot," said Hoover. "We are going to miss them (Sechaud, Maxwell and Schneider) and I know they have bright future ahead of them."
Carolyne Parent continued the wins in singles with her victory over Taileffer, (6-2, 6-2) at the No. 5 flight. Parke-Bérdard then battled it out in No. 2 singles with Southern Illinois' Palovic. The match was taken to a three set tie breaker, where Parke-Bérdard outlasted Palovic for the final win, 6-1, 7-6, (7-4). Miller faced Blanco in No. 1 singles and managed a 7-6, 7-5 victory.
Hoover enjoyed the win and hopes to continue the momentum for the championship tournament.
"I'm happy how we pulled out with the 7-0 sweep today," said Hoover. "We continue to get stronger in our play as we get closer to the Valley championship."
The State Farm MVC Championship tournament is next for the Redbirds on April 28-30, in Omaha, Neb
