Valparaiso University tennis sophomore Moira Silva (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) highlighted the opening day of the spring season, winning her doubles and singles matches in a 6-1 defeat to defending Horizon League regular-season champion and preseason favorite Cleveland State at The Courts of Northwest Indiana. Silva combined with Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) for the doubles triumph.

How It Happened

• Silva and Czerwonka prevailed in a tight match at the top doubles spot, beating the Cleveland State tandem of Sima Heren and Bethany Yauch 6-4.
• The other two doubles matches both went the way of the Vikings, allowing the guests to inch out to a 1-0 lead in the match.
• Silva downed Yauch in straight sets at No. 2 singles, winning 6-2, 6-2.
• Two other Beacons started their matches on a high note by taking the first set. Czerwonka was a 6-3 winner in Set 1 before Oihane Vicario took the next two sets 7-5, 6-3 at No. 1 singles.
• Also starting off on the right foot was Jolene Fernandes (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), who won the opening set but dropped a tightly-contested match 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 on a third-set tiebreak to Fillippa Frogner at No. 6. Elizabeth Sobieski (Muskego, Wis. / Muskego) took her second set to a tiebreak at No. 5, but fell 6-1, 7-6(5) to Ella Franz.

Inside the Matches

• Silva improved to 9-3 in singles this season including a 4-0 mark in dual matches. She already owns 27 career singles wins and 25 career doubles wins as only a sophomore.
• Czerwonka picked up her 70^th career doubles win, moving to within two of tying and three of breaking her sister Claire’s program record.
• Cleveland State was voted as the preseason favorite to win the Horizon League this season after going 15-8 overall and 5-1 in league play a year ago, earning the Horizon League regular-season title.
• Silva’s win came over Yauch, an All-Horizon League Second Team performer last season. The Valpo doubles win came over a pair of all-league players from a year ago as Yauch’s double partner Heren earned All-Horizon League Second Team honors each of the last two seasons.

Up Next

The Beacons (3-1) will hit the road for the first time this spring as they visit SIUE on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2:30 p.m. in Edwardsville, Ill.