Horizon League Women’s Tennis Championship
(1) UIC 4, (2) Youngstown State 3
Perhaps in its previous 16 Horizon League Women’s Tennis Championship matches has UIC not been pushed to the brink. But on Sunday afternoon at the West Indy Racquet Club, Youngstown State took the Flames to edge before UIC held on for its 17th consecutive conference title, 4-3.
The clinching match delivered plenty of drama, as Youngstown State’s Annina Brendel fought off match point in the second set before sending the match to a decisive third set at No. 5 singles.
With Jana Knoppe wrapping up her 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 4 to tie the match at 3-3, all players and spectators ventured to the far end of the court to catch the conclusion, at which point Kathryn Sharples had built a 4-1 lead in the third set.
But Brendel would not go quietly, rallying behind two breaks to knot the match at 4-4; back on her service, Brendel had a chance to go up 5-4, but Sharples took advantage of her second break opportunity to go back ahead, 5-4.
Sharples would close out on her service, igniting a high-pitched frenzy among the Flames.
The previous five games had played to form, with Youngstown State’s top of the lineup delivering three points and UIC’s depth carrying the Flames.
Paula de Man, the Horizon League Player of the Year, drew the Penguins even at 1-1, taking her match at No. 1 doubles, 6-1, 6-4, before Marta Burak put YSU ahead, 2-1, with a 6-3, 6-3 sweep at No. 3.
Keti Mebuke knotted the match at 2-2 for UIC, winning 6-3, 6-4 at No. 6; Margarita Sadovnikova would give Youngstown State its final lead of the match, overcoming a second-set loss to win at No. 2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
However, Knoppe would tie the match shortly thereafter, setting the stage for the dramatics of Sharples and Brendel.
UIC started the match by taking the critical doubles point behind Natasha Kuvakina and Ann-Sophie Hahn at No. 3, 8-3, and Haley Craig and Mariana Palacios, 8-6, at No. 1.
The Flames will find out their NCAA Tournament opponent at 5:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 30. NCAA.com will have live coverage of the selection show.
(1) UIC 4, (2) Youngstown State 3
Doubles:
No. 1 – Haley Craig/Mariana Palacios (UIC) def. Marta Burak/Margarita Sadovnikova (YSU) 8-6
No. 2 – Jana Knoppe/Kathryn Sharples (UIC) vs. Lauren Hankle/Paula de Man (YSU) 4-5, DNF
No. 3 – Natasha Kuvakina/Ann-Sophie Hahn (UIC) def. Tijana Raicevic/Annina Brendel (YSU) 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 1
Singles:
No. 1 – de Man (YSU) def. Craig (UIC) 6-1, 6-4
No. 2 – Sadovnikova (YSU) def. Palacios (UIC) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
No. 3 – Burak (YSU) def. Kuvakina (UIC) 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 – Knoppe (UIC) def. Hankle (YSU) 6-3, 6-0
No. 5 – Sharples (UIC) def. Brendel (YSU) 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-4
No. 6 – Keti Mebuke (UIC) def. Raicevic (YSU) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 6, 2, 4, 5
