The Basics
The Bulldogs will embark on a weekend trip to open conference play against Valparaiso on Saturday, Mar. 23 at 1 p.m. and UIC on Sunday, Mar. 24 at noon.
 
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Drake is on a three-game skid that's dwindled its record to 4-8 on the season. The recent losses have come against Nebraska, James Madison, and Richmond, with all matches occurring on the road. The Bulldogs will get their first chance at conference opponents this weekend.
 
In their last tilt against the Spiders, the Bulldogs fought hard, despite tallying a loss. Haagensen won in the second singles position in straight sets. She won the first set 6-4 before crushing her opponent 6-1 in the second set. The top doubles and singles competitors for Drake didn't finish their matches against Richmond, despite Ines Stephani and Haagensen being on track to finish strong.
 
Scouting the Competition
Valparaiso women's tennis holds a 9-6 record and a 7-4 home record. The Beacons are 3-3 in their last six matches, with their two recent matches being wins over Omaha and UTEP.
 
Moira Silva lights the way for the Beacons, serving in the top singles position. She is a freshman from Houston, Texas, and has already won two MVC Singles Player of the Week awards. Silva lost in her previous match against her Omaha counterpart in a tiebreaker. Silva serves alongside Olivia Czerwonka in the top doubles position. Czerwonka recently broke the Valparaiso record for most doubles wins in program history.
 
Drake is 6-0 all-time against the Beacons. The two have squared off annually since 2018, most recently matching up in a 7-0 Bulldog victory in 2023.
 
The UIC Flames are 4-9 on the year and are 2-3 at home. The Flames closed out non-conference play with a 1-3 record in their last four games. Their three recent losses came at the hands of Georgia State, Chicago State and Rutgers. Their recent victory came over Oral Roberts.
 
Agnes Gustafsson, a senior from Paris, France, serves as the Flames' top singles competitor. Gustafsson is 5-6 in singles. Gustafsson is also one-half of the Flames' top doubles pair. She plays alongside Camille Belberka, who is a junior who's also from France.
 
Drake holds a 3-1 advantage over the Flames in all-time meetings. The two teams played in 2023 for the first time since 2010. Drake welcomed the Flames to Des Moines with a 5-2 win.
 
Up Next
Drake will continue conference play against the UNI Panthers on Friday, Mar. 29 at 4 p.m. in Des Moines at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.