RESULTS
NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's tennis team earned a 5-2 victory over Eastern Illinois to remain undefeated on the season, going 3-0 for the first time since 2006-07.
"We played a very competitive match today," said head coach Maja Kovacek. "We handled pressure situations well for the most part, and that's what made the difference in the end. Catherine (Shulman) did a great job keeping her composure in the third set to clinch the match for us."
For the third straight week, the Redbirds started off play claiming the doubles point. Illinois State's No. 1 doubles team of Marcia Tere-Apisah and Kadi Ilves earned a win against Eastern Illinois' Hannah Kimbrough and Grace Summers, defeating the duo, 6-3. The doubles point was decided in the No. 2 doubles match, as Veronika Golanova and Jana Kustkova went back-and-forth versus Kelly Iden and Ali Foster. Golanova and Kustkova pulled through, defeating Srishti Slaria and Kamile Stadalninkaite, 6-4.
ISU then went 4-2 in singles over the course of the afternoon. To begin singles play, Ilves won the No. 4 singles match, 6-3, 6-2, over Hannah Kimbrough. Chanel Scudiero added another singles win for the Redbirds, defeating her opponent Srishti Slaria, 6-4, 6-3. Sophomore Catherine Shulman, secured the ISU victory by topping Kamile Stadalninkaite, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. To round out singles action, Tere-Apisah triumphed over Kelly Iden in a tight match, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4. Tere-Apisah, Ilves and Shulman remain undefeated in singles action.
Saturday's victory marked ISU's first over Eastern Illinois since the 2012-13 season, with ISU improving its record against the Panthers to 8-2 since 2006-07. With the victory over Eastern Illinois, ISU has the chance to improve to 4-0 Sunday for the first time in program history during the spring season, and the first time overall since 1990-91 when the Redbirds went 4-0 to open the fall season.
The Redbirds will travel north to Homewood, Illinois, Sunday for their first road match of the season to face Chicago State. The match will get underway at 9 a.m. at the H-F Racquet and Fitness Club. For updates on ISU women's tennis, follow them on Twitter: @RedbirdWTEN.
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