April 23, 2000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Wins by seniors Natalia Manasova and Megan Wise on Senior Day were not enough for the Fighting Illini as the women netters fell 4-3 to Iowa on Sunday.

Illinois, now 11-11 overall and 8-2 in the Big Ten, lost the doubles point for the second straight match but could not pull out the win as in Saturday's 4-3 victory over Wisconsin. Playing without the services of junior Simone Kung, Illinois dropped the top three singles spots with Iowa's Shera Wiegler defeating freshman Eldina Fazlic at No. 1 to clinch the Hawkeyes' victory. The seniors made the most of their last action at the Atkins Tennis Center. Manasova won 6-4, 6-2 over Erica Johnson at No. 5 and Wise outlasted Steffi Hoch 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 at No. 6. With the loss, the Illini fell to second in the conference standings as Ohio State became the league's regular season champions with its 5-2 win against Michigan.

After splitting Nos. 2 and 3 matches, Iowa earned the doubles point as Shera Wiegler and Toni Neykova edged past sophomore Brooke Ferney and freshman Natascha Loebnitz 9-8 (4) at No. 1. The Illini lone doubles win came at No. 3, where junior Carla Rosenberg and Manasova defeated Megan Kearney and Johnson 8-2. Freshmen Fazlic and Michelle Webb paired at No. 2 and lost 8-5 to Natalya Dawaf and Jennifer Sinclair.

"We played extremely well in doubles," Head coach Sujay Lama. "If that's any indication of the way we are going to play in the postseason, I'm very excited."

Rosenberg collected the other Illini singles win, defeating Kearney 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. At No. 2, Ferney fell 6-4, 6-2 to Neykova and at No. 3, Loebnitz lost 6-4, 7-5 to Dawaf.

"Without Simone today, we moved everyone up, and we still had depth and production, which says a lot for where we are as a team," Lama said.

Illinois will own the No. 2 seed at the Big Ten Championships, which will be held next week in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Iowa, 4, Illinois 3
Illinois is listed first

1. Eldina Fazlic lost to Shera Wiegler 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 **
2. Brooke Ferney lots to Toni Neykova 6-4, 6-2
3. Natascha Loebnitz lost to Natalya Dawaf 6-4, 7-5
4. Carla Rosenberg d. Megan Kearney 6-7, 6-4, 6-4
5. Natalia Manasova d. Erica Johnson 6-4, 6-2
6. Megan Wise d. Steffi Hoch 4-6, 7-5, 6-2

1. Ferney/Loebnitz lost to Wiegler/Neykova 9-8 (4)
2. Webb/Fazlic lost to Dawaf/Jennifer Sinclair 8-5
3. Rosenberg/Manasova d. Kearney/Johnson 8-2

** clinching win