Redbirds Wrap Up Day 2 At Home Invitational

NORMAL, Ill. – It was a perfect day for some great tennis on Saturday at the Gregory Street Courts, and that led to some solid play for Illinois State on the second day of the Redbird Invitational.

In Flight 3, a pair of Redbirds won their semifinal matches to advance to an all-Redbird final on Sunday. Elena Jankulovska defeated Maria Bezmenova of Bradley by a score of 6-0, 6-1 to advance to the championship round. She will face off against her teammate Silvia Pomarolli, who bested Valparaiso's Mia Bertino 6-3, 6-2, to set up the Redbird matchup for the title.

In Flight 4, Iva Poleksic took home her first title as she bested Eastern Illinois' Emma Pilipovic-Kljajic by a final of 6-1, 6-3. After dropping a tough decision yesterday, Tijana Zlatanovic bounced back with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 win over Christine Gouws from Eastern Illinois in the Flight 1 consolation bracket to advance to the consolation final. Also in Flight 1, Nevena Kolarevic fell in straight sets, but will play for third-place on Sunday as will Tara Damnjanovic in Flight 2, after she dropped a close decision to Bradley's Kristin Hailey.

In doubles action, the dynamic duo of Zlatanovic and Damnjanovic rolled to a pair of wins over teams from Valpo (6-1) and Eastern Illinois (6-2) to remain undefeated as a tandem on the weekend. Kolarevic and Jankulovska also picked up a semifinal win in Flight 2, before falling in the championship match. Pomarolli and Othilia Brodin also got a semifinal win in the opening match in Flight 3, before falling in their second match to the duo from Eastern Illinois.

Day three of the Redbird Invitational begins at 10 a.m. Sunday morning with one 8-game pro set of doubles at 10 a.m., followed by singles starting at 11:30 a.m.

RESULTS:
Flight 1 Singles:
Olivia Czerwonka (VU) def. Nevena Kolarevic (ISU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-0)

Flight 1 Consolation:
Tijana Zlatanovic (ISU) def. Christine Gouws (EIU) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 

Flight 2 Singles:
Kirstin Hailey (BU) def.  Tara Damnjanovic (ISU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3

Flight 3 Singles:
Elena Jankulovska (ISU) def. Maria Bezmenova (BU) 6-0, 6-1
Silvia Pomarolli (ISU) def. Mia Bertino (VU) 6-3, 6-2

Flight 4 Singles: 
Iva Poleksic (ISU) def. Emma Pilipovic-Kljajic (EIU) 6-1, 6-3

Flight 1 Doubles:
Zlatanovic/Damjanovic (ISU) def. Jhaveri/Sobieski (VU) 6-1
Zlatanovic/Damjanovic (ISU) def. Monroy/Bukraba-Ulanova (EIU) 6-2

Flight 2 Doubles:
Kolarevic/Jankulovska (ISU) def. Gouws/Brown (EIU) 6-3
Czerwonka/Silva (VU) def. Kolarevic/Jankulovska (ISU) 6-3

Flight 3 Doubles:
Pomarolli/Brodin (ISU) def. Pilipovic-Kljajic/Snyder (EIU) 6-1
Tabanera/Bertino (VU) def. Pomarolli/Brodin (ISU) 6-1

Flight 4 Doubles:
Ellis/Steven (EIU) def. Poleksic/Limparis (ISU) 7-6 (7-3) 

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