OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Evansville women’s tennis team picked up its first Missouri Valley Conference victory of the season, taking a 5-2 win over Creighton on Friday afternoon.
 
“It is nice to get our first MVC win of the year,” head coach Nick Mueller said.  “Our team finished up very strong today and hopefully we can carry that into tomorrow’s match against Wichita State.”
 
Evansville, who is now 10-5 overall and 1-1 in the league, opened up by taking the doubles point.  Dora Kotsiou and Natasha James grabbed an 8-5 win over Jennie Hartjes and Analese Snyder while Aleks Dzakula and Jessica Raatz defeated Elizabeth Vermillion and Amanda Noonan, 8-4.
 
The freshman duo of Gaby Fifer and Emily Richardson fell by an 8-3 final to Mary McMullan and Kelsey Schmidt.
 
Singles play also went that way of the Aces as UE won four out of six matches, beginning with Kotsiou, who swept past Hartjes, 6-4, 6-3.  James followed in Kotsiou’s footsteps, sweeping past Schmidt at the No. 2 spot, 6-3, 6-4 while UE’s other victories came in the fifth and sixth flights.  At the five, Raatz downed Vermillion in three sets (7-6, 1-6, 1-0) while Kelsey Costales took down Taylor Koehrson (6-3, 6-1).
 
In the third flight, Mina Milovic fell to Snyder (6-4, 6-1) while Fifer was beaten by McMullan, 6-4, 6-1.
 
The Aces will look to continue on the winning path tomorrow, taking on Wichita State at 1 p.m.  Next weekend, UE will play its final two home matches of the season, facing Northern Iowa on Saturday before taking on Drake on Sunday.  Both matches will be played at Harrison High School.
 
Evansville 5, Creighton 2
 
Singles competition
1. Dora Kotsiou (EVAN) def. Jennie Hartjes (CU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Natasha James (EVAN) def. Kelsey Schmidt (CU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Analese Snyder (CU) def. Mina Milovic (EVAN) 6-4, 6-1
4. Mary McMullan (CU) def. Gaby Fifer (EVAN) 6-4, 6-1
5. Jessica Raatz (EVAN) def. Elizabeth Vermillion (CU) 7-6, 1-6, 1-0
6. Kelsey Costales (EVAN) def. Taylor Koehrson (CU) 6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Dora Kotsiou/Natasha James (EVAN) def. Jennie Hartjes/Analese Snyder (CU) 8-5
2. Mary McMullan/Kelsey Schmidt (CU) def. Gaby Fifer/Emily Richardson (EVAN) 8-3
3. Aleks Dzakula/Jessica Raatz (EVAN) def. Elizabeth Vermillion/Amanda Noonan (CU) 8-4