Redbirds Clinch Regular Season MVC Title With 5-2 Win Over Belmont

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – There was a championship at stake on Saturday at the Evergreen Racquet Club, as Illinois State looked to close out the regular season undefeated in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with a win over Belmont. The Redbirds (15-6, 8-0 MVC) took the early advantage and never looked back as they defeated the Bruins (8-12, 5-2 MVC) by a final of 5-2 to clinch the regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming MVC Championships.

The regular-season championship is the third in five years for the Redbirds, with wins in 2019, 2021 and 2023. Next weekend, the Redbirds will be looking to win their third MVC tournament championship and their second in as many years and punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. 

"I could not be more proud of this team and their work this season," ISU head coach Maja Kovacek said. "This was not a championship team in August when we got to campus, but they have dedicated themselves each day to improving and making each other better. That starts with our senior Alex, Tara and Elena who have been great leaders for our freshmen who have contributed greatly to their first seasons here. Now, we turn our focus to winning the MVC tournament again on our home courts next weekend."

It was a clean sweep of the doubles action for the Redbirds, as the No. 3 tandem of Elena Jankulovska and Nevena Kolarevic rolled to a 6-2 win over Belmont's Meredith Roberts and Taylor Trondson. ISU then secured the doubles point, when the No. 1 tandem of Tara Damnjanovic and Tijana Zlatanovic picked up a 6-2 win over their own. 

Kolarevic kept things rolling in singles play, as she won in straight sets at the No. 3 spot against Belmont's Anastasi Zholdakova by a final of 6-4, 6-2. Silvia Pomarolli then increased the lead to 3-0 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Viktoria Kliimand at the No. 5 spot and her doubles partner Alexandra Abyasova clinched the match with her three-set win on court No. 2 over Abi Solomon by a score of 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. A victory by Damnjanovic at the No. 4 spot in straight sets 6-0, 6-4 gave the Redbirds their fifth point of the match, before Belmont rallied to pick up wins at the No. 1 and No. 6 spots to bring the score to its final at 5-2.

The Redbirds now turn their focus to next weekends MVC Championship, which they will host in Normal. As the No. 1 overall seed, ISU will have bye on Friday and face the winner of the quarterfinal match between the No. 4 and No. 5 seed on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in the first of two semifinal matches.

FINAL SCORE: Illinois State (5), Belmont (2)

Doubles: 
No. 1 Tara Damnjanovic/Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) def. Mariia Hlahola/Anastasi Zholdakova (BEL) 6-2
No. 2 Viktoria Kliimand/Abi Solomon (BEL) def. Alexandra Abyasova/Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) 6-3
No. 3 Elena Jankulovska/Nevena Kolarevic (ILS) def. Meredith Roberts/Taylor Trondson (BEL) 6-2

Singles:
No. 1 Mariia Hlahola (BEL) def. Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-3
No. 2 Alexandra Abyasova (ILS) def. Abi Solomon (BEL) 3-6, 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 Nevena Kolarevic (ILS) def. Anastasi Zholdakova (BEL) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Tara Damnjanovic (ILS) def. Meredith Roberts (BEL) 6-0, 6-4
No. 5 Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) def. Viktoria Kliimand (BEL) 6-4, 6-2
No. 6 Taylor Trondson (BEL) def. Elena Jankulovska (ILS) 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 10-5

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