March 14, 2000

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- The University of Illinois women netters went out west and went back to their winning ways with a 6-3 win over Southern Methodist on the campus of University of California-Santa Barbara on Tuesday.

Illinois, now 5-7 on the year and 2-0 in the Big Ten Conference, won two out of three doubles and got strong play from the bottom of the singles lineup. Winning four of the six singles, sophomore Brooke Ferney cruised to the 6-2, 6-0 victory over Lindsey Bruce at No. 4. In 6-4, 6-3 fashion, senior Natalia Manasova won at No. 5 against Katie Pruett. At No.6, senior Megan Wise dismissed Sara Love Swaney 6-1, 6-2. Freshman Eldina Fazlic picked up the win at No. 2, downing Megan Russell 6-4, 6-0.

The team of Ferney and freshman Natascha Loebnitz came back from being down 2-0 and clinched the Illini victory with the 8-3 win over the SMU duo of Bruce and Russell. At No. 3, Manasova and Fazlic defeated Swaney and Scott 8-3. Down 6-1, Kung and Webb fought back in the match at No. 2 before falling 8-6 to Herring and Pruett.

"Everybody was ready to play and they refused to lose," Assistant coach JoAnne Russell said. "As a team, they were fired up and went out and played with a lot of intensity."

The Illini are back in action on Wednesday, taking on Southern California at 1:30 p.m.

Illinois 6, Southern Methodist 3
Santa Barbara, California

1. Simone Kung lost to Dee Dee Herring 6-0, 6-1
2. Eldina Fazlic def. Megan Russell 6-4, 6-0
3. Carla Rosenberg lost to Patricia Ubeda-Diaz 6-7, 6-4, 6-7
4. Brooke Ferney def. Lindsey Bruce 6-2, 6-0
5. Natalia Manasova def. Katie Pruett 6-4, 6-3
6. Megan Wise def. Sara Love Swaney 6-1, 6-2
7. Michelle Webb def. Alissa Scott 6-4, 6-2

1. Natascha Loebnitz/Ferney def. Bruce/Russell 8-3 **
2. Kung/Webb lost to Herring/Pruett 8-6
3. Manasova/Fazlic def. Swaney/Scott 8-3

** Clinching win