April 13, 2002
Illinois' women's tennis team moved one step closer to the .500 mark with a 6-1 pasting of Minnesota today at the Atkins Tennis Center. The Illini improve to 9-10 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten play while the Golden Gophers fall to 6-13 overall and 1-7 in conference play.
The Illini got off to a quick start, winning two of three doubles matches to capture the doubles point. The sophomore tandem of Jennifer McGaffigan and Eva Choe continued their winning ways, with an 8-4 win at No.2. On court 3, the team of junior Eldina Fazlic and sophomore Tiffany Eklov clinched the first point with an 8-6 victory. This was the first time in nine matches that the Illini won the doubles point.
"This was the best doubles that we have played all spring," said head coach Sujay Lama. "Every team played very well, but I am especially pleased with the way Eldina and Tiffany have improved so much in such a short amount of time together. It makes it much easier on us if we can come out and win the doubles point. We de-emphasized the doubles matches this week in practice. Instead we decided to go out and have fun. As a result, we weren't uptight and we played within ourselves."
Illinois continued its match domination in singles, winning five of six matches with all victories coming in straight-sets. At No. 3 Choe routed her opponent, 6-1, 6-0 while Fazlic made quick work of her foe, winning 6-1, 6-2 on No.5. Eklov dominated her match at No.2, winning 6-2, 6-1 and on No.6, Webb dispatched her opponent 6-1, 6-4. Illinois' final point came at No. 1 where McGaffigan, ranked 55th nationally, defeated the Gophers' Valerie Vladea 6-3, 6-4. Vladea is ranked 123rd in the nation.
Lama continued, "Today was the best tennis we have played this spring by far. It was also the best total team effort for us all season. We are gaining confidence with each match we play. It started at Notre Dame and continued through Iowa last week and then here today as well. We want to play our best tennis towards the end of the season and now we are."
The Fighting Illini are back in action tomorrow when they square off against No. 37 Wisconsin at the Atkins Tennis Center. The match is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (CST).
No. 67 Illinois 6, No. 73 Minnesota 1
SINGLES:
1. # 55 Jennifer McGaffigan (ILL) def. #123 Valerie Vladea (MN) 6-3, 6-4
2. Tiffany Eklov (ILL) def. Michaela Havelkova (MN) 6-2, 6-1
3. Eva Choe (ILL) def. Andrea Rose (MN) 6-1, 6-0
4. Kelly Perry (MN) def. Cynthya Goulet (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
5. Eldina Fazlic (ILL) def. Kandis Batiste (MN) 6-1, 6-2
6. Michelle Webb (ILL) def. Brandi Watts (MN) 6-1, 6-4
DOUBLES:
1. Vladea/Havelkova (MN) def. Webb/Goulet (ILL) 8-6
2. McGaffigan/Choe (ILL) def. Rose/Perry (MN) 8-4
3. Eklov/Fazlic (ILL) def. Watts/Howard (MN) 8-6
