Final Stats 
April 24, 2011
EVANSVILLE, Ill. -
Head coach Chris Hoover and the Illinois State women's tennis team ended their 2010-11 regular season Saturday against Evansville losing, 4-3, in a Missouri Valley Conference tie-breaking match-up.
Upon entering Saturday's match, the Redbirds and the Purple Aces were tied at an even 3-3 valley record. Saturday's loss brings Illinois State's overall record to 7-12 with a 3-4 mark in conference play.
In doubles action, Hannah Esker and Ariane Maack defeated Pin Sorensen and Aleksandra Dzakula, 8-6, at the No. 2 position with Carolina Abello and Heather Nisbet winning against Ashton Schwerin and Kelsey Costales at the No. 3 position, 8-3, clinching the Redbird doubles point and giving the `Birds an early 1-0 lead. Aniko Kiss teamed up with Phyllis Tigges at the No. 1 position, but lost to Kate Chybowski and Dora Kotsiou, 8-7 (7-6), at the No. 1 position.
Despite the 1-0 lead, Illinois State found themselves neck-and-neck with Evansville during singles action. Tigges lost to Kotsiou, 6-0, 6-3, at the No. 2 position while Maack beat Schwerin, 6-3, 6-1, at the No. 4 spot. Esker was defeated by Sorensen at the No. 5 position, 6-2, 6-4, with Kiss losing to Chybowski, 6-0, 6-1, at the No. 1 spot. Gabby Phillips tied the score up at 3-3 with a win over Carolyn Caire at the No. 6 position, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. The day's tie-break came down to Abello and Dzakula's three-set match at the No. 3 position. Abello won her first set 7-6 (7-2), but lost her next two, 6-3, 6-1, sealing the win for Evansville.
Hoover had some thoughts on the weekend's matches and the end of regular season play.
"This was a tough weekend," said Hoover. "We have been struggling and trying to find a way but haven't been able to. We're in unchartered waters here having a losing season. We competed against some really tough teams and it was hard out there."
The Redbird's will travel to St. Louis, Mo., Friday to compete in the weekend-long State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Team Tennis Championship at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center. Play is set to begin at 9 a.m., CDT, Friday.
