NORMAL, Ill. – It was a weekend sweep for Illinois State women's tennis in Valley action, as the Redbirds (14-5, 3-1 MVC) went 2-0 on the weekend thanks to a 5-2 win over Murray State on Saturday on Senior Day at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington.
The Redbirds jumped out to an early lead, sweeping all three doubles matches to secure the first point of the contest. At the No. 1 spot, Lana Caculovic and Silvia Pomarolli battled Murray State's Barbora Hermanova and Bruna Melato and came away with a 7-5 victory. Nicole Iosio and Nuria Sanz also earned a 6-3 win over Yuna Kadowaki and Yu Kikawa at the No. 2 spot. To complete the sweep, Emma Lindh and Vittoria Benedetti defeated Valeria Chaikovskaia and Sofia Issakova by a final of 6-3.
ISU then won four of six singles matches to pick up the 5-2 win over the Racers. At No. 2, Pomarolli won in straight sets over Kadowaki by a score of 6-4, 7-6 (5) and at No. 3 Benedetti earned a hard-fought three-set win over Kikawa 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. Iosio rolled to a 6-4, 6-3 win over Issakova at the No. 4 spot to add another point to the book, and the final point of the day came from Sanz at No. 5, who beat Melato by a final of 6-2, 6-1. Murray State picked up wins at the No. 1 and No. 6 spots, but it was not enough to overcome the early Redbird lead.
The Redbirds are back in action Friday, April 10 at 6 p.m., when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on the Drake Bulldogs in MVC action.
FINAL SCORE: Illinois State (5), Murray State (2)
Doubles:
No. 1 Lana Caculovic/Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) def. Barbora Hermanova/Bruna Melato (MUR) 7-5
No. 2 Nicole Iosio/Nuria Sanz (ILS) def. Yuna Kadowaki/Yu Kikawa (MUR) 6-3
No. 3 Emma Lindh/Vittoria Benedetti (ILS) def. Valeria Chaikovskaia/Sofia Issakova (MUR) 6-3
Singles:
No. 1 Valeria Chaikovskaia (MUR) def. Lana Caculovic (ILS) 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) def. Yuna Kadowaki (MUR) 6-4, 7-6 (5)Â
No. 3 Vittoria Benedetti (ILS) def. Yu Kikawa (MUR) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 Nicole Iosio (ILS) def. Sofia Issakova (MUR) 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 Nuria Sanz (ILS) def. Bruna Melato (MUR) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 Rebecca Widan (MUR) def. Emma Lindh (ILS) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
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