MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Milwaukee tennis team finished non-conference play on a five-match win streak and look to continue its hot streak as the team begin league play this weekend. The Panthers start the weekend off hosting Cleveland State Saturday and will follow-up with Youngstown state the next day.
 
WHEN & WHERE: MKE will host both Cleveland State and Youngstown state to open conference play. The match against the Vikings is set for Saturday, March 23 at River Glen Elite with a 1 p.m. (CT) start time. The Panthers will then return to the courts the following day against the Penguins slated for 12 p.m. (CT).
 
NON-CONFERENCE WRAP UP: The Panthers struggled early on, but finished strong entering Horizon League play on a five-match winning streak. In that span, the Panthers have defeated Cardinal Stritch, Dayton, North Dakota, Northern Iowa and UW-Whitewater.
 
SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE: The Vikings enter Saturday's match 6-7 with wins over Binghamton, Case Western Reserve, DePaul, Notre Dame (OH) and Kennesaw State. CSU finished in fourth place with a 12-13, 7-2 a season ago. In the tournament, the Vikings were knocked out by Youngstown State in the semifinals.
 
CSU currently have four players with double-digit wins on the season. Junior Kateryna Avram lead the Viking with a 16-8 overall and 9-3 dual record played primarily from the No. 6 line.
 
Returning for CSU is First Team All-Horizon League honoree, senior Isabella Spindler. Spindler sits on an 8-11 overall, 5-8 dual record so far this season.
 
In doubles, the team is led by Klara Mrcela and Kateryna Avram. The duo are 13-9 overall and are the team's No. 1 doubles team.
 
ABOUT YOUNGSTOWN STATE: The Penguins return four members from last year's NCAA singles lineup. YSU has been crowned Horizon League Champions over the last three seasons, and are 3-12, losing the last seven matches.
 
The four members who return Imaan Hassim, Cassandra Moraleja, Tamara Teufl and Anastasiaa Khokhlova.
 
Sophomore Tamara Teufl lead the Penguins with a 10-13 overall record primarily from the No. 2 spot. Teufl, however, has also seen action at line one and is 1-3.
 
AWARDS, AWARDS, AWARDS: The Panthers took home HL honors in the first two weeks of competitive play, and recently for the week of Feb. 25.
 
Junior Nicole Clarke grabbed her second honor of the season for Singles Player of Week on Feb. 26. Clarke notably moved up from the No. 3-4 positions to now the No. 2 position in the single's lineup and went 2-0 from the No. 2 spot on Feb. 23-24.
 
Belle earned Singles Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 22, and the Panthers swept the awards for the week of Jan. 28 with Nicole Clarke grabbing Singles Player of the Week and Belle/Perova earning Doubles Team of the Week.
 
NEXT UP: The Panthers will hit the road it next weekend in its continuation of league play. MKE will travel to Detroit Mercy Saturday, March 30 and will face the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland the next day.