Oct. 23, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Illinois freshman Megan Fudge ended her tremendous run at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships with a loss to Colleen Rielley of Notre Dame, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in the semifinals in East Lansing. Fudge reached the semifinals after taking out Randi Schuler of Purdue, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals, becoming the first Illini to make it past the quarters since Jennifer McGaffigan did it in 2003.

"I couldn't be more proud of the way she competed today," head coach Michelle Dasso. "Megan has played a lot of tennis over the past week, but she never let that get in the way of giving it her all on the court. She played every point tough today, and showed she is a fighter. She never gave up and that is all that I could have asked from her."

Fudge, along with the rest of the field proved that the region will be dominated by youth, as three of the four semifinalists were freshmen. Fudge was the only semifinalist to work her way out of the qualifying draw into the main draw. Over the course of the tournament, Fudge played a total of eight matches, going 7-1 in that stretch, including downing No. 5-8-seeded Randi Schuler of Purdue to advance to the semifinals.

The Illini women's team will next hit the courts when they host the annual Midwest Blast on Nov. 3-5 at the Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign, Ill.

SCHEDULED MATCHES
SINGLES
Thursday, Oct. 19
Round of 64 (Singles Qualifier)
No. 1-4-seeded Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Heather Harding (UWGB); 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
No. 9-12-seeded Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Kim Roberts (WIS); 6-1, 6-1
Julie Voss (OSU) def. Shivani Davé (ILL); 7-5, 6-4

Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL) def. Katya Mironova (WIS); 7-5, 6-1
Kylie Moore (MARQ) def. Kristina Minor (ILL); 7-5, 7-5

Round of 32 (Singles Qualifier)
No. 1-4-seeded Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Petra Rehusova (DePaul); 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
No. 9-12-seeded Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Alexis Conill (NU); 6-1, 7-5
Merel Beelen (IOWA) def. Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL); 6-1, 6-3

Consolation Matches
Shivani Davé (ILL) def. Sam Kintzell (BG); 6-0, 6-3
Kristina Minor (ILL) def. Tiffany Foster (WSU); 6-4, 6-1

Friday, Oct. 20
SINGLES
Round of 16 (Singles Qualifier)
Golda Rubina (CHICAGO ST.) def. No. 1-4-seeded Leigh Finnegan (ILL); 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-1
No. 9-12-seeded Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Ashley Moccia (WMU); 6-2, 6-1

DOUBLES
Round of 64 (Doubles Main Draw)
Cosmina Ciobanu/Kali Krisik (ND) def. Finnegan/Fudge (ILL); 8-5
Tijana Koprivica/Ashley Schellhas (MINN) def. Meza Cuadra/ Davé (ILL); 8-3
Angela DiPastina/Christina Keesey (OSU) def. Qu/Minor (ILL); 8-3

Consolation
Meza Cuadra/ Davé (ILL) def. Sarah Galon/Morgan Ungerott (CLEVELAND ST.); 8-3
Priyanka Parekh/Noriko Saruto (WMU) def. Qu/Minor (ILL); 8-4

Saturday, Oct. 21
SINGLES
Round 64 (Singles Main Draw)
Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Keri Robison (NU); 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
Chisako Sugiyama (MICH) def. Momei Qu (ILL); 6-2, 6-0

Round 32 (Singles Main Draw)
Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Kara Delicata (MICH); 6-0, 6-3

Consolation (Singles)
Momei Qu (ILL) def. Erin Watkins (MARQ); 6-1, 6-1

Sunday, Oct. 22
SINGLES
Round 16 (Singles Main Draw)
Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Suzie Matzenauer (NU); 6-3, 6-4

Monday, Oct. 23
Quarterfinals (Singles Main Draw)
Megan Fudge (ILL) def. No. 5-8-seeded Randi Schuler (PUR); 5-7, 6-4, 6-3

Semifinals (Singles Main Draw)
Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Megan Fudge (ILL); 4-6, 6-1, 7-5