Women’s tennis takes down Wright State

Natalia Kuvakina won her doubles match Saturday. Photo: Steve Woltmann

By Laura White

The women’s tennis team (8-3, 1-0 Horizon League) came away with its 144th consecutive conference win Saturday after opening Horizon League competition with a 6-1 victory against Wright State.

The Flames claimed the doubles point and took five singles matches.

UIC took wins at No. 1 and 2 doubles. Haley Craig and Mariana Palacios captured an 8-2 win over Taylor Hines and Amy Nini at No. 1, as Jana Knoppe and Natalia Kuvakina defeated Alex Bastock and Megan McNamara, 9-8, at No. 2.

In singles, the Flames pulled away from the Raiders for five straight-set wins.  Going undefeated on the day, Palacios took down Bastock, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 1; Kuvakina bested Nini, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 3; and Knoppe claimed a 6-0, 6-3 win over Chelsea Girgash at No. 5.

Other wins for UIC came from Kathryn Sharples at No. 4 and Keti Mebuke at No. 6.