WATERLOO, Iowa – Coming off a narrow loss to Drake on Saturday night, Illinois State rebounded on Sunday in Iowa against Northern Iowa with a 5-2 win to improve to 13-6 on the season and 3-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
The Redbirds took the early advantage by winning the doubles point with a sweep of the doubles matches. The No. 2 tandem of Maria Potsi and Penelope Abreu won 6-2, before the No. 3 duo of Laura Fitzgerald and Alexandra Abyasova also won 6-2. The No. 1 team of Tijana Zlatanovic and Tara Damnjanovic completed the doubles sweep with a 6-4 win over UNI's top tandem of Darta Dalecka and Lorena Cardoso.
Abreu kept things rolling heading into singles action with a straight-set 6-2, 6-3 win to make it 2-0 in favor of ISU. A win at No. 3 by Damnjanovic in straight sets then made it 3-0 and the match was clinched by Zlatanovic at No. 1, with her 6-3, 7-6 over UNI No. 1 player Dalecka. A win by Elena Jankulovska at No. 5 by a score of 6-1, 6-1 would round out the Redbird victory.
The Redbirds wrap up the regular season on Sunday, April 17, for a MVC matchup with Valparaiso at home. Location for the match will be determined at a later date based on weather conditions.
Final Results: Illinois State (5), Northern Iowa (2)
Singles competition
1. Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) def. Darta Dalecka (UNI) 6-3, 7-6 (2-0)
2. Lorena Cardoso (UNI) def. Alexandra Abyasova (ILS) 6-3, 7-6 (7-0)
3. Tara Damnjanovic (ILS) def. Emma Carr (UNI) 6-3, 6-2
4. Penelope Abreu (ILS) def. Andrijana Brkic (UNI) 6-2, 6-3
5. Elena Jankulovska (ILS) def. Thaissa Moreira (UNI) 6-1, 6-1
6. Olivia Fain (UNI) def. Laura Fitzgerald (ILS) 2-1, retired
Doubles competition
1. Tara Damnjanovic/Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) def. Darta Dalecka/Lorena Cardoso (UNI) 6-4
2. Penelope Abreu/Maria Potsi (ILS) def. Thaissa Moreira/Olivia Fain (UNI) 6-2
3. Laura Fitzgerald/Alexandra Abyasova (ILS) def. Emma Carr/Issa Sullivan (UNI) 6-2
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