NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State improved to 2-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play with a 6-1 win over Belmont on Friday afternoon in women's tennis action.
The Redbirds jumped out to an early lead, winning the doubles point with victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. At the No. 3 spot, Emma Lindh and Vittoria Benedetti blanked Emma Grant and Libbie Hamilton by a score of 6-0 for the first win of the match. ISU then secured the doubles point with a win at the No. 2 spot by Nicole Iosio and Nuria Sanz, who picked up a 6-4 win over Belmont's Hana Sokolovic and Cielo Tapia-Cruz.
ISU then won five of six singles matches to pick up the 6-1 win over the Bruins. At No. 2, Silvia Pomarolli defeated Tapia-Cruz in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, and at No. 3 Benedetti picked up a three-set win over Jessica Popiol by a final of 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. Iosio earned a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Ketevan Jeladze at No. 4 and Sanz won over Emma Grant by a score of 6-1, 7-5 at the No. 5 spot.
Lindh rounded out the singles victories at No. 6 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Libbie Hamilton.
The Redbirds are back in action tomorrow, when they host Murray State for a 4:30 p.m. match at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington.
FINAL SCORE: Illinois State (6), Belmont (1)
Doubles:
No. 1 Jessica Popiol/Savannah Webster (BEL) def. Lana Caculovic/Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) 7-5
No. 2 Nicole Iosio/Nuria Sanz (ILS) def. Hana Sokolovic/Cielo Tapia-Cruz (BEL) 6-4
No. 3 Emma Lindh/Vittoria Benedetti (ILS) def. Emma Grant/Libbie Hamilton (BEL) 6-0
Singles:
No. 1 Savannah Webster (BEL) def. Lana Caculovic (ILS) 6-4, 3-6, 10-8
No. 2 Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) def. Cielo Tapia-Cruz (BEL) 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 Vittoria Benedetti (ILS) def. Jessica Popiol (BEL) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 Nicole Iosio (ILS) def. Ketevan Jeladze (BEL) 7-6 (5), 6-2
No. 5 Nuria Sanz (ILS) def. Emma Grant (BEL) 6-1, 7-5
No. 6 Emma Lindh (ILS) def. Libbie Hamilton (BEL) 6-2, 6-2
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