UIC Upends Women’s Tennis 5-2 Sunday in the Windy City

CHICAGO – Despite winning its previous three matches 5-2, the Belmont University women's tennis team was on the opposite end of a 5-2 result Sunday in Chicago at the University of Illinois Chicago. Handing the Bruins (10-8, 3-2 MVC) their second Missouri Valley Conference loss of the season, the host Flames (8-10, 4-1 MVC) set the tone at XS Tennis Village in the Windy City by winning the pivotal doubles point before taking four of the six singles matches.
 
A 7-5 match at No. 2 doubles proved to be the deciding result in doubles action as UIC's Camille Belberka and Tamara Malazonia got past freshman Vesa Gjinaj and junior Viktoria Kliimand.
 
The top doubles tandem of sophomore Mariia Hlahola and junior Anastasiya Zholdakova started the day with a 6-3 win over the Flames' Mayu Ushio and Agnes Gustafsson, but UIC responded with a 6-2 triumph by Paula Rodriguez Gregoris and Zara Ryan against junior Aly Getty and freshman Hana Sokolovic at No. 3 doubles.
 
The Flames took a 3-0 lead in the match with straight-set wins at No. 5 and No. 4 singles. Ryan topped Sokolovic 6-4, 6-0 at the fifth spot, while Belberka bested Kliimand 6-3, 6-3 at the fourth position.
 
The match was clinched at No. 6 singles where UIC's Anais Brion defeated sophomore Libbie Hamilton in a second set tiebreaker (7-4) after winning the first set, 6-2.
 
At No. 2 singles, Gjinaj took the opening set off Malazonia, 6-1, but was unable to win the second or third sets, falling 6-3, 6-2. Both Zholdakova and Hlahola prevailed in three sets at No. 3 and No. 1 singles, respectively.
 
Recovering from a 6-1 first set loss, Zholdakova stormed back to dismiss Ushio 6-1, 6-3 at the third spot. At the top of the lineup, Hlahola outlasted Gustafsson 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to wrap up the weekend road trip.
 
Up Next
Belmont returns to the Music City next weekend for senior day Saturday versus Murray State. First serve from the Beaman Family Tennis Complex is slated for 12 p.m.
 
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