Feb. 1, 2003
With the match tied at three points apiece, the Illinois women's tennis team needed its best player to step up and pick up a win. Jennifer McGaffigan did just that. The UI junior, ranked No. 41, won 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 over Western Michigan's Fredericka Girsang to give the Illini a 4-3 win over the Broncos this afternoon at Atkins Tennis Center.
"When it matters, Jenny really executes," Head Coach Sujay Lama said. "She's a tough out and if there is any one person I want clinching the match, it's her. She just won't beat herself."
"You have to give Western Michigan credit, they brought their A+ game, every match was contested," Lama said. "The best thing about today is that we got tested, which is exactly what we needed. We stressed to the team not to overlook Western Michigan and I think we did a fairly good job of that, but this gives us the right frame of mind heading into tomorrow's match against Tennessee."
"Pulling out a close one like this will keep us sharp and give us confidence going into tomorrow's match," McGaffigan said.
The Fighting Illini swept the three doubles matches to win the doubles point.
At No. 1 doubles, the Illini's 21st-ranked duo of McGaffigan and senior Michelle Webb easily handled the Broncos No. 58 ranked team of Fredericka Girsang and Melanie Peters, 8-4. The Illini tandem improved to 15-2 for the year.
At No. 3, junior Tiffany Eklov and freshman Brianna Knue scored an 8-4 decision over Reedhina Parekh and Malena Remynse. On court 2, junior Eva Choe and senior Eldina Fazlic, ranked No. 54 nationally, downed Val Soilova and Ice Hiranat, 8-6. The victory was the first of the season for Fazlic and Choe.
"We hadn't played that much together, only one tournament in the fall, so it's taken us a while, but we're clicking now," Fazlic said.
Eklov made the score 2-0 with a 6-4, 6-0 thrashing of Peters at No. 2 singles. Fazlic followed with a straight-set win against Remynse at No. 3, 6-3, 6-3.
The Illini looked as if they would coast the rest of the way, but the Broncos fought back, winning 6-4, 6-1 on No. 4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 on No.5 and 6-3, 7-5 on court 6. Illinois' Knue, suffered her first loss of the season at No. 6.
The Illini are back in action tomorrow at noon CST, versus 11th-ranked Tennessee at Atkins Tennis Center.
Today's Illinois Results:
Singles:
1. No. 41 Jennifer McGaffigan (ILL) def. Girsang (WMU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
2. Tiffany Eklov (ILL) def. Melanie Peters (WMU) 6-3, 6-0
3. Eldina Fazlic (ILL) def. Malena Remynse (WMU) 6-3, 6-3
4 Val Stoilova (WMU) def. Michelle Webb (ILL) 6-4, 6-1
5. Reedhina Parekh (WMU) def. Eva Choe (ILL) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Ice Hiranrat (WMU) def. Brianna Knue (ILL) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles: 1. No. 21 McGaffigan/Webb (ILL) def. No. 58 Girsang/Peters (WMU) 8-4 2. No. 54 Fazlic/Choe (ILL) def. Stoilova/Hiranrat (WMU) 8-6 3. Eklov/Knue (ILL) def. Parekh/Remynse (WMU) 8-4
