UIC, Cleveland State Sweep Semifinals to Set Up Championship Rematch

Women’s Tennis Championship Semifinals:
(1) UIC 4, (4) Butler 0
(2) Cleveland State 4, (6) Detroit 0

INDIANAPOLIS – For the second straight season, it will be Cleveland State trying to knock UIC off its long-held perch atop the Horizon League women’s tennis ladder. The Vikings and Flames both advanced to the championship with 4-0 victories on Saturday morning.

Playing at the West Indy Racquet Club due to heavy rains in the Indianapolis area, UIC (17-3) made quick work of Butler (9-15), 4-0.

While UIC and Butler had four of its matches go unfinished, the Flames were able to pull away with two wins in doubles and three singles wins to capture the victory and take their 142^nd victory over a Horizon League foe.

In doubles, four-time Horizon League Player of the Year Mariya Kovaleva teamed with Haley Craig to collect an 8-5 win at No. 1, while Jana Knoppe and Linda Hricistova partnered to breeze past the Butler tandem of Kahfi King and Kate Panawash, 8-1.

The Flames captured their three singles wins in straight-set matches at No. 3, 4 and 5.  Craig went up at No. 3 to defeat Rubenstein in a 6-1, 6-3 decision.  Knoppe came out at No. 5 to take her first set 6-2 and blank Andgelina Qin, 6-0, in the second.  At No. 6, Kathryn Sharples won at love in her first set with Laura Shull, 6-0, and came away in the second at 6-2.  Kovaleva (No. 1), Tsertsvadze (No. 2) and Simonetti (No. 4) each had their respective matches go unfinished.

The Vikings set up the championship rematch by getting past sixth-seeded Detroit, 4-0, at the Butler Bubble.

Cleveland State picked up the first point of the day with victories at No. 3 and No. 2 doubles. Kara Sherwood and Nicole Janek cruised to an 8-1 victory at the No. 3 spot, and with the No. 1 singles match coming down to the wire, Alex Power and Alex Bush came through with an 8-6 victory at No. 2 to clinch the point for the Vikings.

After pulling out a 7-6 (4) win in the first set and a 6-3 win in the second set, Maria Lazaria gave CSU a 2-0 lead with a victory at No. 2 singles. Immediately after Lazaris finished, Janek extended the CSU lead to 3-0 with a 6-4, 6-3 victory at the No. 4 spot.

Senior Catrine Bjerrehus clinched the match for the Vikings, earning a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 1 singles.

Seeking their 16th consecutive conference title, UIC will look to repeat its match from earlier in the season with Cleveland State. The Flames were able to come out on top of a 5-2 decision after taking two-of-three in doubles and four singles matches.

The match will begin at 10 a.m. ET at the Barbara Wynne Tennis Center on the campus of North Central High School. The Horizon League Network will have live coverage.

(1) UIC 4, (4) Butler 0
April 28, 2012 | Indianapolis, Ind. (West Indy Racquet Club)
Horizon League Women’s Championship Semifinal

Doubles:
No. 1 – Mariya Kovaleva/Haley Craig (UIC) def. Stephanie McLoughlin/Gabrielle Rubenstein (BU) 8-5
No. 2 – Teona Tsertsvadze/Elisa Simonetti (UIC) vs. Caroline Hedrick/Ashley Breitenbach (BU) 7-3
No. 3 – Jana Knoppe/Linda Hricistova (UIC) def. Kahfi King/Kate Panawash (BU) 8-1

Singles:
No. 1 – Mariya Kovaleva (UIC) vs. Caroline Hedrick (BU) 3-3
No. 2 – Teona Tsertsvadze (UIC) vs. Stephanie McLoughlin (BU) 6-4, 1-2
No. 3 – Haley Craig (UIC) def. Gabrielle Rubenstein (BU) 6-1, 6-3
No. 4 – Elisa Simonetti (UIC) vs. Cam Thompson (BU) 6-1, 5-2
No. 5 – Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Angelina Qin (BU) 6-2, 6-0
No. 6 – Kathryn Sharples (UIC) def. Laura Shull (BU) 6-0, 6-2

(2) Cleveland State 4, (6) Detroit 0
April 28, 2012 | Indianapolis, Ind. (Butler Bubble)
Horizon League Women’s Championship Semifinal

Doubles:
No. 1 – Catrine Bjerrehus/Maria Lazaris (CSU) vs. Amanda Cornwell/Elena Strakhova (DET) 7-5
No. 2 – Alex Bush/Alex Power (CSU) def. Raina Halabi/Chloe Karoub (DET) 8-6
No. 3 – Kara Sherwood/Nicole Janek (CSU) def. Julia Fernandes/Alyssa Korson (DET) 8-1

Singles:
No. 1 – Catrine Bjerrehus (CSU) def. Raina Halabi (DET) 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 – Maria Lazaris (CSU) def. Chloe Karoub (DET) 7-6(4), 6-3
No. 3 – Kara Sherwood (CSU) vs. Elena Strakhova (DET) 6-4, 4-2
No. 4 – Nicole Janek (CSU) def. Amanda Cornwell (DET) 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 – Alex Bush (CSU) vs. Julia Fernandes (DET) did not start
No. 6 – Alex Power (CSU) vs. Alyssa Korson (DET) did not start