Women's Tennis Travels to Valparaiso and UIC this Weekend

 
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Following consecutive Missouri Valley Conference home victories, the Belmont University women's tennis team hits the road this weekend for matches at Valparaiso and the University of Illinois Chicago. The Bruins (9-7, 2-1 MVC) take on the Beacons (9-9, 0-3 MVC) indoors at The Courts of Northwest Indiana Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Valparaiso, Indiana. On Sunday morning, Belmont faces the Flames (6-10, 2-1 MVC) at XS Tennis Village in Chicago. First serve is slated for 10 a.m.
 
Last Saturday, the Bruins earned their second-straight 5-2 win at the Beaman Family Tennis Complex with a triumph over visiting Missouri State. Belmont collected its first MVC win of the season on Sunday, March 24 against Bradley.
 
Sophomore standout Mariia Hlahola takes an impressive 12-3 No. 1 singles record into the weekend and has won each of her first three singles matches in the Valley. Likewise, junior Anastasiya Zholdakova is off to a 3-0 start in league play at No. 3 singles.
 
The Bruins' lone MVC loss came in their Valley opener against defending regular season champion Illinois State, 4-3, on March 23. Belmont has won three of its last four.
 
Last March, the Bruins edged Valparaiso 4-3 in Nashville. Graduate Meredith Roberts provided the clinching singles win in three sets at the fifth spot for Belmont's first-ever MVC victory.
 
Early last April, the Bruins defeated UIC 4-3 in the Music City. Once again, Roberts clinched the match at No. 5 singles with a straight-set win.
 
After going 9-6 in non-conference action, the Beacons have lost their first three MVC matches. Valparaiso dropped a 4-3 decision at The Courts of Northwest Indiana to begin MVC play and suffered 4-2 and 5-2 losses, respectively, on the road at Illinois State and Bradley last weekend. The Beacons are 7-5 at home on the season but 4-5 at The Courts of Northwest Indiana.
 
Winners of three of their last four, the Flames began MVC play with a 5-2 home win over defending tournament champion Drake and a 4-3 road victory at Bradley. Last Saturday, UIC was defeated 5-2 at Illinois State. The Flames enter the weekend 3-3 at home and host Northern Iowa late Saturday morning.
 
Junior Mayu Ushio and senior Agnes Gustafsson, UIC's top doubles pair, are the reigning MVC Doubles Team of the Week.
 
Up Next
Belmont hosts Murray State next Saturday, April 13 at the Beaman Family Tennis Complex. First serve is set for 12 p.m.
 
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