Cardinals Sweep Ball State to Win Season Opener

Sunday, January 24

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

Ball State

January 24, 2021 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Louisville v Ball State Results Photo Gallery

UofL wins doubles point and all six singles slots

By: Nancy Worley

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Louisville women's tennis team took the doubles points and then swept all six positions in singles to open their season with a 7-0 sweep of visiting Ball State Sunday afternoon at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.

"They didn't give me much to complain about. It is a really good start, said Mark Beckham, UofL head coach. "Ball State is always full of fight. They are competitive and loud and bring an element of competitiveness to the match. I feel we matched that energy and played good tennis. Generally, in the first match of the season, they give me more things we need to address and clean up. They did not have that problem today. I was excited and happy about the way we played today."

UofL scored the first point of the match by sweeping all three doubles matches. The No. 1 duo of Andrea Di Palma and Rhea Verma beat Jessica Braun and Emma Peeler 6-2 and then the No. 3 pair of Dina Chaika and Jelena Vujanic polished off Mariya Polishchuk and Livia Lukacs 6-4 to clinch. The No. 2 partners of Chelsea Sawyer and Nikolina Jovic won 6-3 to complete the sweep.

Sawyer, in her first match as a Cardinal, scored the first point in singles at No. 4, beating Amy Kaplan 6-2, 6-3. Dina Chaika made the score 3-0 when she beat Livia Lukacs 6-3, 6-2. The clinching point came from Andrea Di Palma at No. 2, when she beat Mariya Polishchuk 6-3, 6-3. Raven Neely had her hands full in the first set of the No. 3 match, winning 7-6 and then roared back to bowl over Jessica Braun 6-0 in the second set. Rhea Verma won 6-4, 6-3 at No 5 and Nikolina Jovic battled back at No. 1 to win 6-3, 7-5 to complete the sweep.

The Cardinals return to action against Miami (OH) next Saturday, Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.

Singles competition
1. Nikolina Jovic (LOU) def. Emma Peeler (BSU) 6-3, 7-5
2. Andrea Di Palma (LOU) def. Mariya Polishchuk (BSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Raven Neely (LOU) def. Jessica Braun (BSU) 7-6, 6-0
4. Chelsea Sawyer (LOU) def. Amy Kaplan (BSU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Rhea Verma (LOU) def. Rebecca Harrington (BSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Dina Chaika (LOU) def. Livia Lukacs (BSU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Andrea Di Palma/Rhea Verma (LOU) def. Jessica Braun/Emma Peeler (BSU) 6-2
2. Chelsea Sawyer/Nikolina Jovic (LOU) def. Amy Kaplan/Martina Bocchi (BSU) 6-3
3. Dina Chaika/Jelena Vujanic (LOU) def. Mariya Polishchuk/Livia Lukacs (BSU) 6-4
Match Notes:
Ball State 0-1
Louisville 1-0
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,6,2,3,5,1)