Feb. 12, 2005

The 34th-ranked Illinois women's tennis team found out what it's like to face a top team on the road tonight. Seventeenth-ranked Harvard beat the Orange and Blue decisively, 6-1, this evening at the Murr Center courts in Cambridge, Mass.

Illinois lost the doubles point for only the second time this season but was swept for the first time.

"Harvard really set the tone for the match with doubles," said Illinois Head Coach Sujay Lama. Our No. 1 and 2 doubles teams have been playing well, but they ran into some tough opponents."

The Crimson (5-1) didn't let up when it was time for singles play. The hosts moved ahead, 5-0, before Illinois' Cynthya Goulet, ranked No. 111, averted the shutout with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over 104th-ranked Elsa O'Riain in the No. 1 match. Of the five Illini who lost in singles, only Brianna Knue was able to extend her match to a third set.

"The youth and inexperience of our team (three freshmen started, in both singles and doubles) really showed tonight," said Lama. "They learned what it's like to go on the road and face a really good team. Harvard, in my opinion, will be in the Top 10 a little later this season; they're that good.

"This tells us where we are as a team," he continued. "We have never shied away from great competition; this was an excellent learning experience for our freshmen."

Illinois (4-3) returns home to take on Colorado and Western Michigan next weekend; the Buffaloes come to the Atkins Tennis Center Friday evening and the Broncos will play the Illini on Sunday.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS:

At No. 17 Harvard 6, No. 34 Illinois 1

DOUBLES
1  Elsa O'Riain/Stephanie Schnitter (HARV) def. Cynthya Goulet/Emily Wang (ILL)   8-4
2  Celia Durkin/Melissa Anderson (HARV) def. No. 54 Macall Harkins/Brianna Knue (ILL)   8-4
3  Eva Wang/Preethi Mukundan (HARV) def. Anastasia Sokolova/Momei Qu (ILL)   8-3

SINGLES 1 No. 111 Cynthya Goulet (ILL) def. No. 104 Elsa O'Riain (HARV) 7-5, 6-3 2 No. 123 Celia Durkin (HARV) def. Macall Harkins (ILL) 7-5, 6-1 3 Preethi Mukundan (HARV) def. Momei Que (ILL) 6-3, 6-1 4 Alexis Martire (HARV) def. Brianna Knue (ILL) 7-5, 5-7, 1-0 (4) 5 Eva Wang (HARV) def. Emily Wang (ILL) 6-2, 6-0 6 Melissa Anderson (HARV) def. Anastasia Sokolova (ILL) 6-1, 6-1