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Redbird freshman Hannah Esker went undefeated during spring break as the Illinois State women’s tennis team defeated New Orleans, 6-1, Tuesday at the University Tennis Center. Esker went 6-0 as the Redbirds wrapped up their spring break trip with a victory.
Esker defeated Pia Dozo-Moreno, 6-2, 6-2, in Flight 5 singles. In Flight 3 doubles, Esker along with partner Carmen Peters bested Dozo-Moreno and Anita Racz of New Orleans, 8-3.
Illinois State (6-6) clinched the doubles point with a win in Flight 2, where Natalia Lech and Tanja Hrovatic defeated UNO’s (7-5) Ceara Howey and Kir Kemp, 8-2.
In Flight 1 doubles, the Redbird team of Julia Zubkova and Franziska Steinhardt lost to the Privateers’ Kozue Marsumoto and Cassandra Escobar, 8-1.
The Redbirds continued their winning ways, going 5-1 in singles play.
Zubkova bested Kemp (UNO), 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, in Flight 1, while Lech defeated Howey, 6-0, 6-2, in Flight 3. With the win already determined in favor of Illinois State, Hrovatic and Peters added to the Redbirds’ point total. Hrovatic bested Garza (UNO), 7-5, 6-4, while Peters won, 6-0, 6-1, over UNO’s Racz.
“It is really great to end our trip with a win,” said head coach Chris Hoover. “The wind was definitely a factor, but the team was able to adjust and everyone played well. It will be nice to come back home, and hopefully, we can begin playing outdoors.”
The Redbirds return home March 21 to host Illinois-Chicago at 1 p.m. The match is scheduled to played at the new Gregory Street Courts, weather permitting.
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