DePaul University Athletics
Friday, April 23
Cayce, S.C.
8:00 A.M. CT
DePaul University
vs
Butler
Quest Begins Friday for Repeat BIG EAST Title
4/22/2021 1:50:00 PM | WOMEN'S TENNIS
No. 2 seed DePaul takes on No. 7 Butler in BIG EAST Quarterfinals
CHICAGO – No. 2 seed DePaul (9-4) begins its BIG EAST Championship title defense on Friday with an 8 a.m. match against No. 7 Butler. The Bulldogs (6-9) swept No. 10 seed Seton Hall 4-0 in Thursday's first round.
DePaul defeated Butler 5-2 on April 8 at XS Tennis on the South Side and finished 3-1 in the BIG EAST with the lone blemish a 4-3 setback April 9 at Xavier.
The last conference tournament was 2019 when a stirring Blue Demons' performance was enough to edge No. 1 seed Xavier 4-3.
It was 3-3 heading into the final singles match with No. 2 seed DePaul's last hope Alina Kuzmenkova trailing 3-0 in the final set.
With a conference title and automatic NCAA tournament berth on the line, Kuzmenkova seized the day scoring six consecutive points in a 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 triumph.
Appropriately enough, Xavier is once again the No. 1 seed and the biggest roadblock to the Blue Demon bid for a fifth BIG EAST title in the last seven years the tournament has been conducted.
The Blue Demons have been a dominant force in BIG EAST postseason play, winning four titles in the last six years of the tournament. The 2020 BIG EAST Championship was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DePaul has competed in five NCAA tournaments---2010, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. The Blue Demons advanced to the second round in 2015 and received at at-large bid in 2010. The coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 NCAA tournament.
At the forefront of coach Marisa Arce's current lineup is No. 1 singles player Aspasia Avgeri aiming for her 10th consecutive win. The graduate student from Greece has racked up an impressive 10-2 record and has not lost a singles match in 11 weeks.
Both Marija Jovicic and Yuliya Kizelbasheva bring identical 8-4 records into singles action on Friday with Jovicic having won her last three matches. Playing exclusively at No. 2 singles, Kuzmenkova is 6-5.
Avgeri has teamed up with Maddie Yergler to form DePaul's winningest doubles combination with a 9-3 mark at the No. 3 position. The No. 1 combo of Lenka Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva is 6-4 while the Antonijevic/Kuzmenkova duo has won all three matches.
The other primary contenders for the conference crown are No. 3 seed Villanova which is 6-3 and went 5-0 in league play, No. 4 St. John's with a 6-1 record including 2-1 in BIG EAST matches and No. 5 Connecticut (8-4, 2-1).
Recaps and results can be accessed at depaulbluedemons.com.
DePaul defeated Butler 5-2 on April 8 at XS Tennis on the South Side and finished 3-1 in the BIG EAST with the lone blemish a 4-3 setback April 9 at Xavier.
The last conference tournament was 2019 when a stirring Blue Demons' performance was enough to edge No. 1 seed Xavier 4-3.
It was 3-3 heading into the final singles match with No. 2 seed DePaul's last hope Alina Kuzmenkova trailing 3-0 in the final set.
With a conference title and automatic NCAA tournament berth on the line, Kuzmenkova seized the day scoring six consecutive points in a 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 triumph.
Appropriately enough, Xavier is once again the No. 1 seed and the biggest roadblock to the Blue Demon bid for a fifth BIG EAST title in the last seven years the tournament has been conducted.
The Blue Demons have been a dominant force in BIG EAST postseason play, winning four titles in the last six years of the tournament. The 2020 BIG EAST Championship was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DePaul has competed in five NCAA tournaments---2010, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. The Blue Demons advanced to the second round in 2015 and received at at-large bid in 2010. The coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 NCAA tournament.
At the forefront of coach Marisa Arce's current lineup is No. 1 singles player Aspasia Avgeri aiming for her 10th consecutive win. The graduate student from Greece has racked up an impressive 10-2 record and has not lost a singles match in 11 weeks.
Both Marija Jovicic and Yuliya Kizelbasheva bring identical 8-4 records into singles action on Friday with Jovicic having won her last three matches. Playing exclusively at No. 2 singles, Kuzmenkova is 6-5.
Avgeri has teamed up with Maddie Yergler to form DePaul's winningest doubles combination with a 9-3 mark at the No. 3 position. The No. 1 combo of Lenka Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva is 6-4 while the Antonijevic/Kuzmenkova duo has won all three matches.
The other primary contenders for the conference crown are No. 3 seed Villanova which is 6-3 and went 5-0 in league play, No. 4 St. John's with a 6-1 record including 2-1 in BIG EAST matches and No. 5 Connecticut (8-4, 2-1).
Recaps and results can be accessed at depaulbluedemons.com.
Players Mentioned
/ WOMEN'S TENNIS
/ WOMEN'S TENNIS
/ WOMEN'S TENNIS
/ WOMEN'S TENNIS
/ WOMEN'S TENNIS
/ WOMEN'S TENNIS
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