The Valparaiso University women’s tennis team dropped Saturday’s match to UIC 7-0 at the Courts of Northwest Indiana. The Crusaders (1-12, 0-3 Horizon) have faced a strong schedule to open Horizon League play. Their first three league matches have been against the teams picked to finish first through third. UIC was projected as the second-place team and received four first-place votes.

How It Happened

• The Flames (11-5, 2-1 Horizon) swept their way to the doubles point with wins at all three spots. The closest match of the day came at No. 2 as Oana Manole and Bianca Zuzu eked out a 7-6 (6-1) win over Valpo’s Meg Modesto (Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton) and Randi Wind (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South).
• Valpo’s Dao Sysouvanh (Sun Prairie, Wis. / Sun Prairie) and Morgan Paras (Indianapolis / Bishop Chatard) also kept it close at No. 3 doubles, but UIC’s Georgie Sanders and Stefana Vasic notched a 6-4 win.
• The Flames’ top doubles squad of Melika LeBlanc and Rachel Le Comer also emerged victorious, beating Kathleen Hebble (Sellersburg, Ind. / Silver Creek) and Paige Heuer (Munster, Ind. / Munster) 6-2.
• The closest singles scores came at No. 5, as Sysouvanh fell to Le Comer 6-2, 6-4.
• At No. 2, Heuer dropped her match with Sanders in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
• Modesto was on the wrong end of a 6-1, 6-4 decision at No. 3 against LeBlanc.
• At No. 1 singles, Hebble also lost in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1 to Manole.
• Jordan Kopfer (Eagan, Minn. / Eastview) fell 6-3, 6-0 against Zuzu at No. 4 singles, while Wind succumbed to Miranda Rodriguez 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6.

Next Up

The Crusaders hit the road for a pair of Horizon League matches next weekend. They visit Northern Kentucky on Saturday at 10 a.m. CT before clashing with Wright State on Sunday, April 9, at noon CT in Dayton. Northern Kentucky was picked eighth in the preseason poll, one place ahead of the Crusaders. Wright State was selected to finish fourth.