Nov. 2, 2006

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The 2006 Midwest Blast will offer fans a chance to not only catch the Illini women's tennis team in action at home for the first time this season, but also will offer an array of events for every age. The tournament will feature high-caliber women's collegiate tennis and a chance to participate in a free kids clinic hosted by the Atkins Tennis Center staff at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3. Friday's festivities come to a close with a performance by the Dodging Illini dodgeball team, who will be taking on numerous teams assembled by the university and the Atkins Tennis Center before the Illini women's team plays their second round matches at 6 p.m.

"I am really excited about all the events we have planned this weekend," head coach Michelle Dasso said. "The free kids tennis clinic gives us a chance to reach out to the youth and make the event a more family oriented occasion. The dodgeball challenge that is taking place after the kid's clinic will be a great way to entertain the fans of all ages until our competition begins. I am excited to see how many college students we can get out to participate in the dodgeball game and I think it should be quite entertaining. All of the things we have planned, along with the chance to see some great collegiate tennis, makes this year's Midwest Blast a good weekend event."

The Illini will open tennis action on Friday at 8 a.m., with Alejandra Meza Cuadra, Shivani Davé, Leigh Finnegan, Megan Fudge, Kristina Minor, Momei Qu and Emily Wang all in doubles action.

The tournament format calls for one round of doubles and two rounds of singles on Friday, two rounds of doubles and one round of singles on Saturday and the championship matches on Sunday. Consolation matches will take place all weekend on as needed and court availability basis.

Finnegan and Fudge open with a first round bye in doubles and will not play their first match together until Saturday. Wang and Qu will battle Northern Illinois' Brooke Forsberg and Megan Brooks in the opening round, while Minor and Davé drew NIU's Chrissy Nagel and Stephanie Okuma in their opening tilt.

In singles, Fudge and Dave earned first-round byes, while Meza Cuadra battles Okuma, Finnegan opens against Forsberg, Minor faces Doris Dellagdillo (NIU) and Qu takes on Cigdem Duru (Purdue). All of the Illini will play their second round singles matches at 6 p.m., following the Dodging Illini games.

The tournament schedule has action beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with doubles matches slated to open each day's action. On Friday, the singles first round will begin 15 minutes after the conclusion of the last doubles match, with the second round of singles starting an hour after the conclusion of the first round. All Illinois second round matches will be played at 6 p.m. on Friday night. On Saturday and Sunday, matches will be played on an as needed basis for consolation contests, while matches will start as soon as courts are available and competitors have had at least 15 minutes rest following the conclusion of their previous match.

Complete results for the Midwest Blast will be posted as they are made available after the conclusion of each day's action.