Feb. 5, 2000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill - The University of Illinois women's tennis team was handed a 6-1 defeat from the 14th-ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers Saturday afternoon at Goodfriend Tennis Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

Using an experimental format geared toward a more entertaining and exciting match, Illinois collected two wins on the day but only one point. The format consisted of doubles being played first with the winner of two of the three matches garnering one point. A sweep in doubles earned two points. In singles, it was best two out of three sets with the third set being played in a 10-point tiebreaker.

Taking two out of three in doubles, the Lady Volunteers earned one point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles. Freshman Eldina Fazlic and senior Natalia Manasova got the Illini's lone win, downing Crystal Cleveland and Meiling Parks 8-4 at No. 3. The team of sophomore Brooke Ferney and freshman Michelle Webb lost 8-2 to Alison Ojeda and Vilmarie Castellvi at No. 1 while junior Simone Kung and freshman Natascha Loebnitz fell 8-5 to Agnes Wiski and Candy Reid at the second spot.

In singles, Webb earned Illinois' only point of the day with her 6-3, 6-4 victory over Catherine Hall at No. 6. Playing No. 1 for the first time this season, Ferney lost 7-5, 6-3 to Ojeda. In a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6 (6) battle, Fazlic was defeated by Castellvi at No. 2. With no singles match extended to the third set tiebreaker, Manasova fell to Wiski 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3 while senior Megan Wise could not take Parks at No. 4 in their 7-6 (5), 6-4 match. Playing No. 5 for the Illini, Loebnitz lost 6-2, 6-2 to Reid.

Illinois, ranked 47th in the country, is now 1-4 on the year. Tennessee improved to 3-1. The Illini return to action next weekend with two matches in South Bend, Ind., playing Maryland on Saturday at 10 a.m. and Notre Dame on Sunday at 11 a.m.