ST. LOUIS – Looking to defend their 2022 MVC Tournament championship, Illinois State women's tennis team has been selected second by leagues coaches in the 2023 MVC preseason poll, as announced Tuesday. The Redbirds received 67 total points and sit eight points behind preseason favorite and new MVC member, Belmont.
The Bruins received 75 total points and six first-place votes while the other three first-place votes fall to third place UIC who see themselves with 65 total points in the poll. The top five is rounded out by Drake with 53 points and Murray State with 50 total points. Valparaiso (35 points), Bradley (27 points), Missouri State (22 points), and UNI (11 points) round out the remainder of the preseason poll.
The Redbirds are led by two-time MVC All-Conference selection and 2021 MVC Player of the Year, Tijana Zlatanovic, at the no. 1 spot. She is joined by her doubles partner, Tara Damnjanovic, and standouts Alexandra Abyasova, Elena Jankulovska, and Othilia Brodin as ISU returners. The Redbirds also see newcomers Nevena Kolarevic, Zoe Limparis, Iva Poleksic, and Silivia Pomarolli join the program to round out the 2022-23 lineup.
The fall was busy for the Redbirds, who competed in five tournaments including the 2022 MVC Individual Championships. At that tournament, freshman Nevena Kolarevic had quite the debut at her first MVC Individual Championships, as she went undefeated in Flight 3 to take home the championship at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Missouri. The Redbirds also saw Tara Damnjanovic drop a tough three-set match to UIC's Natalia Nikolopoulou 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (8-6) to finish in second place overall.
The Redbirds also played in five third-place matches on Sunday, with veterans Tijana Zlatanovic and Elena Jankulovska both coming away with victories. In doubles action, the duo of Alexandra Abyasova and Silvia Pomarolli fought back from a tough loss on Saturday to come away with an 8-5 win over the team of Malazonia and Nikolopoulou of UIC to take third place in Flight 2.
Kolarevic continued her impressive fall season with an appearance in the Round of 32 at the ITA Midwest Regionals before coming back home to wrap up the fall season with the rest of the team at the Redbird Duals last November.
Illinois State begins its spring dual meet schedule on Sunday, January 29, versus Eastern Illinois and UIS at the Evergreen Racquet Club. The Redbirds won't play their first MVC opponent until March 19, when they travel to Springfield, Missouri and face Missouri State.
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