Nov. 5, 2006

URBANA, Ill. - The Illinois women's tennis team closed out action at the 2006 Midwest Blast at the Atkins Tennis Center on Sunday afternoon in Urbana. With a successful weekend in the books for the young Illini, head coach Michelle Dasso says that her team can take a lot away from this weekend's competition.

"We put ourselves in a great position to make the finals of the singles and doubles bracket," Dasso said. "We just didn't capitalize on those chances, but I am extremely impressed with Kristina Minor this weekend. I think she had a break through in a lot of her matches and will continue to improve. Overall, the team is improving on a lot of little things we have been working on in practice, and I am eager to see them take the experiences they had this weekend into our final fall tournament in Notre Dame next weekend."

In the doubles final, the Louisville tandem of Lauren Imre and Robyn White took down Illinois' freshmen pair of Leigh Finnegan and Megan Fudge, 8-4. Finnegan and Fudge, despite making a come back midway through the set, could not overcome early mistakes against the Cardinal's doubles team.

Junior Momei Qu teamed with junior Alejandra Meza Cuadra to take on Nao Umemura and Lilian Asuaje of Northern Illinois. The NIU tandem got the better of the Illini, 8-5. In the Orange and Blue's final doubles contest, freshman Kristina Minor and sophomore Shivani Davé downed Brooke Forsberg and Megan Brooks of NIU, 9-7.

In the Orange Flight final, Fudge dropped the first set 6-4 to Neela Vaez of Purdue. In the second, the Kaarst, Germany native fell behind 4-1 before she put up a tremendous fight to even the affair at 5-5. Vaez, however, used a late-match rally to closeout the win, 7-5 in the second. In the Blue Flight final, freshman Kristina Minor fell to Natalie Laszkowski of Louisville, 6-2, 6-0.

For Davé in singles, the day turned out to be hers against Bianca Gorbea of Louisville as she cruised through a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Senior Emily Wang returned to singles competition after spending most of the fall rehabbing an injury. Wang, in her 2006 singles debut, easily disposed of Chrissy Nagel of Northern Illinois, 6-0, 6-4.

Finnegan closed out the weekend in dominating fashion, defeating Imre 6-1, 6-1, to end action at her first Midwest Blast. Rounding out the action were Qu and Meza Cuadra. Qu blasted past Jo Ann Van Aerde of Louisville, 6-0, 6-2, while Meza Cuadra picked up a win against Whitney Reys of Purdue, 6-3, 6-3.

The Illini will be back in action when they travel to the Notre Dame Invitational on Nov. 10-13 for their last tournament of the fall season.

Doubles Bracket in PDF Format
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Singles Bracket in PDF Format
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MIDWEST BLAST RESULTS
Friday, Nov. 3
Orange Flight Singles
Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Robyn White (UL); 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
Cigdem Duru (PUR) def. Momei Qu (ILL); 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Momei Qu (ILL) def. Lilian Asuaje (NIU); 6-2, 6-0
Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Brooke Forsberg (NIU); 6-0, 6-0
Neela Vaez (PUR) def. Leigh Finnegan (ILL); 6-2, 6-3

Blue Flight Singles
Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL) def. Stephanie Okuma (NIU); 6-1, 6-3
Natalie Laszkowski (ILL) def. Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL); 6-1, 6-1
Kristina Minor (ILL) def. Doris Dellagdillo (NIU); 6-1, 6-1
Kristina Minor (ILL) def. Alejandra Boeker (PUR); 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Shivani Davé (ILL) def. Natalie Baez (UL); 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
Wang/Qu (ILL) def. Brooke Forsberg/Megan Brooks (NIU); 8-2
Minor/ Davé (ILL) def. Chrissy Nagel/Stephanie Okuma (NIU); 8-3

Saturday, Nov. 4
Orange Flight Singles
Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Maria Klokotzky (UL); 6-3, 6-1
Momei Qu (ILL) def. Nao Umemura (NIU); 6-2, 6-1

Blue Flight Singles
Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL) def. Doris Dellagdillo (NIU); 6-4, 7-5
Kristina Minor (ILL) def. Bianca Gorbea (UL); 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
Natalie Laszkowski (UL) def. Shivani Davé (ILL); 7-6(2), 6-3

Doubles
Fudge/Finnegan (ILL) def. Alejandra Boeker/Neela Vaez (PUR); 8-3
Fudge/Finnegan (ILL) def. Natalie Baez/Bianca Gorbea (UL); 8-4
Natalie Baez/Bianca Gorbea (UL) def. Wang/Qu (ILL); 8-6
Lauren Imre/Robyn White (UL) def. Minor/ Davé (ILL); 8-1

Sunday, Nov. 5
Orange Flight Singles
Neela Vaez (PUR) def. Megan Fudge (ILL); 6-4, 7-5
Momei Qu (ILL) def. Jo Ann Van Aerde (UL); 6-0, 6-1
Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Lauren Imre (UL); 6-1, 6-1

Blue Flight Singles
Natalie Laszkowski (UL) def. Kristina Minor (ILL); 6-2, 6-0
Shivani Davé (ILL) def. Bianca Gorbea (UL); 6-4, 6-2
Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL) def. Whitney Reys (PUR); 6-3, 6-3
Emily Wang (ILL) def. Chrissy Nagel (NIU); 6-0, 6-4

Doubles
Lauren Imre/Robyn White (UL) def. Fudge/Finnegan; 8-4
Minor/Davé (ILL) def. Brooke Forsberg/Megan Brooks (NIU); 9-7
Nao Umemura/Lilian Asuaje (NIU) def. Meza Cuadra/Qu; 8-5