University of Illinois
Iowa
Illini Roll Past Iowa, 5-2
April 8, 2011 | Women's Tennis
April 8, 2011
URBANA, Ill. - The Illini women's tennis team (8-8, 4-1 Big Ten) topped Iowa (5-11, 2-3), 5-2, en route to its fourth straight win Friday afternoon at Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex. Freshman Misia Kedzierski clinched the victory with her second Big Ten win of the year and first at the No. 5 spot.
"It was a huge team effort today," head coach Michelle Dasso said. "Every match has been a battle in the Big Ten. Our girls are hurting, but they're competing their tails off and laying it on the line, so I have a lot of respect for them."
In doubles, the 20th-ranked tandem of sophomore Rachael White and freshman Allison Falkin secured their team-best 15th win of the year and fourth straight with an 8-6 defeat of Sonja Molnar and Jessica Young, before senior Annie McCarthy and sophomore Breanne Smutko clinched the point, as they held off Lynne Poggensee-Wei and Ally Majercik, 9-7.
McCarthy followed up her swift victory Wednesday with another dominating match today, as she downed Cassandra Escobar, 6-0, 6-2, for her fifth straight win since the fall season, while No. 96 White earned her 14th win of the year with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Young to put the Illini ahead 3-0. Iowa notched wins at Nos. 1 and 4 to pull within one, before Kedzierski finished off Christina Harazin, 7-5, 6-0, to clinch it for the Orange and Blue. In the final match of the day, freshman Allison Falkin outlasted Poggensee-Wei in a thrilling three-setter, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 1-0 (13-11), for her 15th win of the year, which ranks second only to junior Amy Allin's 19.
"The fact that we won the match and freshman "Big Al" (Allison Falkin) was still out there battling showed the type of competitiveness I want on my team," Dasso said. "It was cold out, the match is over, we won, she was down and came back. I love it. Annie McCarthy really stepped up again today. She was the first one off the court, clinched it in doubles and came up big for us again today."
Illinois is back in action Sunday at No. 16 Northwestern at 11 a.m.
Match Results
Illinois 5, Iowa 2
Singles competition
1. Sonja Molnar (IOWA) def. Amy Allin (ILL) 6-2, 6-3
2. #96 Rachael White (ILL) def. Jessica Young (IOWA) 6-4, 6-2
3. Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Lynne Poggensee-Wei (IOWA) 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 1-0 (13-11)
4. Alexis Dorr (IOWA) def. Breanne Smutko (ILL) 6-2, 6-2
5. Misia Kedzierski (ILL) def. Christina Harazin (IOWA) 7-5, 6-0
6. Annie McCarthy (ILL) def. Cassandra Escobar (IOWA) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #20 Rachael White/Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Sonja Molnar/Jessica Young (IOWA) 8-6
2. Christina Harazin/Alexis Dorr (IOWA) def. Leigh Finnegan/Amy Allin (ILL) 8-3
3. Breanne Smutko/Annie McCarthy (ILL) def. Lynne Poggensee-Wei/Ally Majercik (IOWA) 9-7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (6,2,4,1,5,3)
