March 15, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Despite sweeping the doubles, the Illini women netters were shut out in singles as Southern California came away with the 6-3 victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Illinois, now 5-8 on the year, could not get it going in singles. Playing No. 1, freshman Eldina Fazlic fell 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) to Kara Warkentin. Junior Simone Kung was downed 6-3, 6-1 by Jewel Peterson at No. 2 and sophomore Brooke Ferney met a similar fate at No. 3, losing 6-0, 6-3 to Veronika Safarova. Moving up to No. 4 in the lineup, senior Megan Wise lost 6-3, 6-2 to Anita Loyola. Fellow senior Natalia Manasova fell in a tough two-setter, 7-6 (4), 7-5, to Tiffany Brymer. Cracking the lineup at No. 6, freshman Michelle Webb was defeated by Krissy Hamilton-Heinberg 6-3, 6-1.
The Illini then turned things around in doubles action. Ferney and freshman Natascha Loebnitz defeated Safarova and Loyola 8-4 at No. 1 and Kung and Webb came away with a 9-7 winner at No. 2 against Peterson and Christian. Fazlic and Manasova won by default at No. 3.
"We did well in doubles, but we just had patches of the Illinois effort today," Assistant coach JoAnne Russell. "We need a full Illinois effort to win, and I hope to see it against UCLA."
The Illini visit UCLA on Friday.
USC 6, Illinois 3
| 1. | | Eldina Fazlic lost to Kara Warkentin | 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) |
| 2. | | Simone Kung lost to Jewel Peterson | 6-3, 6-1 |
| 3. | | Brooke Ferney lost to Veronika Safarova | 6-0, 6-3 |
| 4. | | Megan Wise lost to Anita Loyola | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 5. | | Natalia Manasova lost to Tiffany Brymer | 7-6 (4), 7-5 |
| 6. | | Michelle Webb lost to Krissy Hamilton-Heinberg | 6-3, 6-1 |
| ? |
| Doubles |
| 1. | | Natascha Loebnitz/Ferney def. Safarova/Loyola | 8-4 |
| 2. | | Kung/Webb def. Peterson/Christian | 9-7 |
| 3. | | Fazlic/Manasova | won by default |
