The Valparaiso University tennis team returned to the win column on Wednesday afternoon, besting South Dakota 5-2 to capture its sixth win in the last seven matches and improve to 9-2 overall. This marked the team’s final tune-up prior to the first weekend of Missouri Valley Conference play this coming weekend.

How It Happened

• The teams split the top two doubles matches, with Valpo recording a 6-3 victory at No. 1 and South Dakota winning by that same score at No. 2. The top Valpo tandem of Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) and Moira Silva (Houston, Texas / Houston Tennis Academy) got the job done at the No. 1 position against Paige Alter and Grace Chadick.
• The doubles point hinged on the No. 3 match, which required a tiebreak to determine a victory. Demi Jhaveri (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) and Eleanor Chapman (East Sussex, England / Eastbourne College [UT Martin / Lipscomb]) outlasted Eesha Varma and Bea Havlickova 7-6(9-7) to help the Beacons start the match on a high note by grabbing the doubles point.
• The first singles match to come to an end was at No. 2, where Silva continued her strong week by making quick work of Anna Medvyedyeva 6-3, 6-1.  
• South Dakota got on the board by winning the No. 4 and No. 5 singles matches, leveling the team score at 2-2.
• Valpo climbed back in front when Jhaveri finalized her straight-set win at No. 3. She eked out a 7-6(4) win in the first set before dominating the second set 6-1.
• The victory that clinched the team triumph came at No. 6, where Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) made quick work of Varma 6-2, 6-2.
• The Beacons added on a three-set win at the top spot with Czerwonka beating Havlickova 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Inside the Match

• At 9-2 through 11 matches, Valpo is off to the best start in the history of the program.
• Silva upped her team-leading singles win total to 15 against just four losses. She is two wins away from cracking the top 10 in single-season program history.
• Czerwonka bettered her season singles record to 14-3 including a 10-1 mark in dual matches. She attained her 60^th career singles win, the third most in program history and two away from moving into a tie for second.
• Czerwonka and Silva teamed up for their Beacon-best 13^th doubles win of the year. They are three wins away from climbing into the top 10 on the program’s single-season doubles wins list. Czerwonka grabbed her 58^th career doubles win, second in program history behind only her sister Claire (72).
• Bertino upped her season win total to 12 and her career mark to 33, while Jhaveri earned her ninth win of the season and the 39^th of her career.
• The win came over a South Dakota team that reached the Summit League championship match last season.
• The Coyotes were picked to finish second in the Summit League preseason poll.
• Czerwonka’s win came over Havlickova, who was named to the Summit League preseason players to watch list.

Up Next

The Beacons (9-2) will open Missouri Valley Conference play on Saturday at Murray State beginning at 1 p.m.