WATERLOO, Iowa – Sophomore Chanel Scudiero won both of her singles matches Saturday and will play for the Panther singles title Sunday, and junior Kadi Ilves and freshman Valerija Gercar will both play for third place in their respective singles brackets, as the Illinois State women's tennis team wrapped up day two of the University of Northern Iowa Invitational.
"We played some tough matches today and competed well," head coach Maja Kovacek said. "Chanel showed a lot of versatility and composure and had two good wins. We are playing better with each match, and we are looking to finish strong tomorrow."
In Panther singles play, Scudiero received a bye, automatically advancing to the next round. Scudiero went undefeated against Bradley's Cassia Wojtalik, 6-1,6-2, and South Dakota's Nina Barudzic, 6-1, 6-3, allowing her to compete Sunday for the championship in the Panther bracket. Sophomore Natalia Parchowska fell to South Dakota's Yamini Reddy, 6-0, 6-5.
In Gold singles play, Ilves defeated St. Catherine's Maria Koval, 6-0, 6-2, and South Dakota's Dragana Brankovic, 6-1,6-3, before falling to Bradley's Alexa Brandt, 6-4, 6-2. Ilves will compete Sunday for the third place championship versus South Dakota's Rymma Masloca. Freshman Donna Haycock initially advanced in the Gold singles bracket, defeating Upper Iowa's Saki Kawabata, 3-6, 6-0, 1-0, (10-5) before falling to Northern Iowa's Elvira Lopez, 6-2, 6-2.
Gercar advanced in the Purple singles bracket, defeating St. Catherine's Angie Lorenzen, 6-1,6-1, and Sanjana Bidarkal, 6-1,6-0. Gercar will compete Sunday for the third place championship title in the Purple bracket. Freshman Cricket Geldermann received a bye, automatically advancing her to the next round before falling to Bradley's Ashley Thai, 6-3, 6-3.
The UNI Invitational will conclude Sunday with one singles match and one doubles match at Byrnes Park in Waterloo, beginning at 9 a.m.
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