McLean County Times

Valparaiso, Ind. -- The Illinois State women's tennis team, with a record of 13-7 overall and 6-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), is set to begin the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Championships against Drake University. Drake holds a season record of 5-15 overall and 2-6 in the MVC. The match is scheduled for April 25 at 2:00 p.m. at the Valparaiso Tennis Complex.

In their previous match, Illinois State claimed a 5-2 victory over Belmont on April 18 at the Evergreen Racquet Club. During that match, the team swept the doubles matches. Lana Caculovic and Silvia Pomarolli won their doubles match 6-1, and Elena Jankulovska and Emma Lindh secured a 6-4 doubles win. Additionally, Nicole Iosio and Zoe Limparis won their doubles match with a final score of 7-5.

In singles play, the Redbirds garnered four wins. Freshman Sophie Marie Lowe had a three-set win at No. 6 over Sarah McElrath, with scores of 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. At No. 1, Caculovic defeated Kliimand 6-4, 6-2. Iosio won at No. 5 in straight sets, and Nuria Sanz secured the final point with a tiebreaker victory at No. 4.

The Redbirds are competing in the MVC Championships for the fifth time since the 2020-21 season. They aim to win their first title since 2022. In 2024, they reached the championship match but lost to Murray State. In 2023, they also reached the final but were defeated by Drake.

Illinois State has an all-time record of 18-10 against Drake. The last meeting occurred on March 30, with Illinois State winning 5-2.

Drake, the No. 6 seed in the tournament, has struggled this season with a 5-15 overall record. The team lost their regular season finale to Murray State 5-2. Jana Ruzic secured a singles win for Drake during that match.

For updates on Illinois State women's tennis, GoRedbirds.com and the team's social media accounts on "X," Facebook, and Instagram provide the latest information.