BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois State women's tennis team swept Western Illinois, 4-0, after falling to SIUE, 6-1, during the Redbirds' season-opening double-header Sunday at the Bloomington Tennis Center.
"It was a very challenging day, and I'm happy with the way we competed," Illinois State head coach Maja Kovacek said. "Valerija Gercar led the way with a solid performance in singles."
In doubles play against SIUE, Marcia Tere-Apisah and Jelena Karla Vujicic competed against Mia Frogner and Tiffany Hollenbeck and were defeated, 6-2. Jana Kustkova and Gabriela Sprague were defeated, 6-4, by Lexi Aranda and Morgan Steffes. Andrea Beneroso and Gercar competed against Ann-Christine Link and Lara Tupper, but halted play at 5-5, after SIUE claimed the doubles point.
In singles action against SIUE, Tere-Apisah played against Lexi Aranda and was defeated after a hard-fought tiebreaker, 2-6, 7-5,10-6. Vujicic battled against Frogner and was also defeated after a tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-4,10-5. Kustkova competed against Steffes and was defeated, 6-3, 6-1. Sprague competed against Hollenbeck, falling short, 6-3, 6-2. Gercar battled Tupper, and was victorious after another tiebreaker, 6-3, 3-6, 10-4. Beneroso played against Callaghan Adams and lost 6-4, 6-4.
In doubles play against Western Illinois, Tere-Apisah and Vujicic played Courtney Lubbers and Natalia Bravo, and won, 6-2, while Kustkova and Sprague defeated Maria Bessmertnaya and Laura Ballesteros, 6-2, clinching the doubles point. Gercar and Beneroso also won 5-2, they defeated Anna Daniel Fuentes and Cary Milanes.
In singles play against the Leathernecks, Tere-Apisah competed against Lubbers, playing two straight sets and not finishing the third, 6-2, 5-7, 0-3. Vujicic defeated Bravo in two straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(5). Kustkova completed two sets against Bessmertnaya, 0-6, 6-1, but did not finish the third, 5-2. Sprague defeated Fuentes in two sets, 6-3, 6-0. Gercar also defeated her opponent, Ballesteros, in two sets, 6-3, 6-1. Beneroso completed two sets against Milanes, 7-6(5), 3-6, but did not finish the third set.
"This week we will spend some time working on our doubles and taking time to recover from injury and illness to make sure we are ready for the three matches we have scheduled for next weekend," Kovacek said.
Illinois State is now 1-1 and will next take on Butler, Feb. 3. The Redbirds will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, Friday to compete against the Bulldogs at 2 p.m.
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