McLean County Times

The Illinois State Redbirds are set to conclude their 2024 Missouri Valley Conference regular season with a match against Missouri State this Sunday. The event will take place at Noon at the Gregory Street Courts in Normal, or indoors at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington if weather conditions require it. This final home game will also serve as Senior Day, honoring Tijana Zlatanovic and Othila Brodin for their contributions to the team.

The Redbirds currently hold a 15-6 record and are positioned second in the league standings with a 6-1 conference record. They trail behind Murray State, who narrowly defeated them earlier in the season. The team has been on a five-match winning streak since that loss, including victories over UNI and Drake last weekend, which secured them a bye in the first round of the upcoming MVC Championship.

Sophomore Silvia Pomarolli has been instrumental for Illinois State, maintaining an undefeated streak in MVC singles play this season. Her performance has contributed significantly to her overall singles record of 22-8. Additionally, the No. 1 doubles team of Lana Caculovic and Tijana Zlatanovic achieved success last weekend by winning both their matches against UNI and Drake.

Missouri State enters Sunday's match with a 12-8 record and is ranked fifth in the conference standings at 3-3. They recently secured consecutive wins against UIC and Valpo, marking their first winning season since 2021. The Bears are aiming for their first 13-win season since 2003 if they succeed against either Bradley or Illinois State this weekend.

Last weekend's victories for Missouri State were clinched by Tuana Gunal, who won decisive matches against UIC and Valpo.

For more information about tickets and other related inquiries, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or use the Illinois State Redbirds App.