Two of the top women’s tennis players in the Missouri Valley Conference will go head-to-head on Friday morning, as Valparaiso University hosts UIC in the final match of the 2025 regular season. First serve is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at The Courts of Northwest Indiana.
Valpo junior Moira Silva enters the matchup with a strong 19-6 overall record and a 6-1 mark in MVC play. She has won nine of her last 11 matches, including four in a row. On the other side of the net will be UIC’s Mayu Ushio, who is undefeated in conference play at 5-0 and captured the No. 1 Singles title at the MVC Individual Championships last fall.
Friday’s clash could decide the MVC Player of the Year. A win by Silva would strengthen her case for the award.
“The match is going to come down to the mental game more than anything else,” said Valpo head coach Bob Modesto. “Both players are talented, so it’s about who handles the nerves and pressure better. Moira is physically prepared. She trains three times a day, and that work ethic gives her an edge.”
Silva shared MVC Singles Player of the Week honors with Ushio earlier this week after both players earned wins against Illinois State and Bradley. Her performance this season marks a major improvement from last year, when she went just 1-7 in conference play. She now ranks sixth in program history for single-season singles wins and is tied for seventh all-time in career singles victories at Valpo.
“Last year, she was 1-7 but still beat one of the conference’s top players,” Modesto added. “This year she’s 6-1 and has a chance to go 7-1. It shows how much she’s grown and how committed she is.”
Despite setbacks this season, including one player leaving the team midyear and another suffering a season-ending injury, Valpo has continued to compete with just five active players. This means the team has had to default at No. 6 Singles and No. 3 Doubles for each match, with most players moved up one or two spots in the lineup.
Sophomore Lillian Kelly has been a bright spot, going 5-2 at No. 5 Singles and positioning herself for potential all-conference honors. She’s joined by sophomore Jolene Fernandes and freshmen Brynn Steven and Lacey Tanner, all of whom have stepped up in a challenging season.
“You could say the results haven’t been what we hoped, but the effort has never been in question,” Modesto said. “These players have left it all on the court. I’m proud of how they’ve handled adversity, and I expect them to do the same tomorrow.”
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