BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Playing against some of the best competition that the Big 10 Conference has to offer, the University of Evansville women's tennis team put its best foot forward, falling just short by a final of 4-3 to Indiana University on Sunday.
 
"I am very pleased with our effort today, even though we didn't get the win, we played some outstanding tennis. We still have some work to do to clean up our doubles, but our singles play has been excellent all weekend," Aces head coach Jayson Wiseman said.
 
"Diana, Andjela, and Andrea were exceptional this weekend with only one loss between them. If we can continue to play singles at this level and improve our doubles performance we will be on the right track," Wiseman added.  "We are a young team, so constant improvement is our #1 goal and I feel like we achieved that this weekend."
 
Despite a tough start in doubles, the women were able to get it together in singles play, earning victories in flights 2, 4 and 6.  Leading the way in the second flight was freshman Diana Tkachenko.  She defeated the Hoosiers' Caitlin Bernard, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4). 
 
In the fourth flight, Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga defeated Alicia Robinson, 6-2, 6-3.  Andjela Brguljan helped the Aces earn the split in singles play with an exciting matchup in #6 singles. She earned the win over Emma Love, 4-7, 7-4 (10-8), 1-0 (10-8).
 
The Aces are off until February 18 when they take on Valparaiso (Niles, Mich.) and Ball State in Muncie.
 
Indiana 4, Evansville 3
Singles competition
1. Paula Gutierrez (IND) def. Chieko Yamada (UE) 6-2, 6-4
2. Diana Tkachenko (UE) def. Caitlin Bernard (IND) 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Kim Schmider (IND) def. Daria Pentsova (UE) 6-3, 6-3
4. A. Pascual-Larrinaga (UE) def. Alicia Robinson (IND) 6-2, 6-3
5. Pauline Jahren (IND) def. Theodora Soldatou (UE) 6-3, 7-5
6. Andjela Brguljan (UE) def. Emma Love (IND) 4-6, 7-6 (10-8), 1-0 (10-8)
 
Doubles competition
1. Caitlin Bernard/Kim Schmider (IND) def. Andjela Brguljan/Daria Pentsova (UE) 6-3
2. Paula Gutierrez/Pauline Jahren (IND) def. Chieko Yamada/Theodora Soldatou (UE) 6-2
3. Emma Love/Alicia Robinson (IND) vs. Nicoli Pereira/Diana Tkachenko (UE) 4-3, unfinished
 

• INFO: For all of the latest information on University of Evansville women's tennis, log on to the sport page on GoPurpleAces.com or follow the program on Twitter via @UEAthleticsWTEN.

 

• DONATE: For information on giving to UE Athletics or its individual athletics programs, visit the DONATE tab on the top of GoPurpleAces.com.

 

• TICKETS: To purchase tickets for University of Evansville athletics events, log on to GoPurpleAces.com and click on the TICKETS tab on top of the page.