UIC Sweeps Horizon League Tennis Athletes of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – UIC senior Luiz Gonzaga (Sorocaba, Brazil) has been named Horizon League Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week, while UIC junior Mariya Kovaleva (Almaty, Kazakhstan) has earned Horizon League Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week honors, for the week beginning Jan. 17.

Gonzaga helped UIC go 1-0 last week, picking up a 5-2 win over the University of Chicago on Saturday.  Playing at No. 2 singles, Gonzaga knocked off his opponent in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.

In doubles, Gonzaga teamed with Alexander Raa to pick up an 8-5 victory.

The UIC women went 1-1 on the weekend, downing Eastern Michigan, 6-1, and narrowly falling to Marquette, 4-3.  Kovaleva went 4-0 in the two matches, helping the Flames record three of their nine cumulative points.

Against EMU, Kovaleva blitzed her opponent at No. 1 singles, winning in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.  At No. 2 doubles, Kovaleva and Linda Hricitstova won, 8-3.

Two days later, Kovaleva was one of three singles winners for UIC, picking up a 6-3, 6-3 straight set victory.  Kovaleva and Hricistova were the lone doubles winners for the Flames, capturing a 9-8 triumph.

The UIC men will hit the road in the coming weekend, meeting Western Michigan on Friday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m. ET.  The Flames will meet Illinois State at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 29.

Kovaleva will lead the UIC women in a home match against Toledo on Saturday, Jan. 29.  The Flames will host Toledo at 2 p.m. ET in Griffith, Ind.