Nov. 7, 2008
URBANA, Ill. - The Illinois women's tennis team wrapped up day one of the 2008 Midwest Blast at the Atkins Tennis Center today. The Orange and Blue picked up three doubles wins and four singles victories. Teams joining the Illini in action at this year's fall classic include Denver, Notre Dame, and Wichita State.
"Overall I was very proud of the girls out there today," Illinois head coach Michelle Dasso said. "They showed a lot of fight and heart along with intensity. We started out the day a little slow in our first round of doubles, but rebounded quickly in the second round of doubles matches. In singles, we were right there and a lot of credit goes out to Leigh (Finnegan) and Megan (Fudge) for playing some good tennis out there in the top two spots."
The Illini duo of sophomore Marisa Lambropoulos and freshman Chelcie Abajian led the way going a perfect 2-0 in doubles on the day. The Illini tandem started out the day with a quick 8-4 victory over Denver's No. 2 doubles tandem of Kyla Iwinski and Ute Schnoy. In the afternoon session, the Orange and Blue continued their winning ways downing Wichita State's Stephanie Dalmacio and Lenore Lazaroiu, 8-4.
"Chelcie and Marisa keep rolling through this fall season," Dasso added. "They've lost just one match in doubles so far this year and it was to a team who made it to the regional finals. They compliment each other very well and play good solid doubles. I definitely look for them to be a rock for us in the doubles lineup this year."
The Illinois tandem of Shivani Davé and sophomore Annie McCarthy dominated the duo of Torrie Browning and Florentina Hanisch from Wichita State, 8-0, in the afternoon doubles match.
In the evening, freshman Amy Allin, making her debut in front of the home crowd today, downed Notre Dame's Katie Potts in a straight sets 6-3, 6-2 victory. Sophomore Leigh Finnegan faced off in an intense battle with Notre Dame's Cosmina Ciobanu in the nightcap. Finnegan prevailed in a straight sets 6-4, 6-2 victory over Ciobanu. Junior Megan Fudge took the first set 6-4 over Notre Dame's Shannon Matthews. The two traded points back and forth in the second set and with the match on the line in the a second set tiebreaker, Fudge dug down deep and pulled out the victory with a 7-6 (6) second set win.
The Midwest Blast continues tomorrow with action set to begin at 9 a.m. at the Atkins Tennis Center. Admission to the tournament is free. Complete tournament results can be found at fightingillini.com at the conclusion of play.
2008 Midwest Blast Day One Results
11/7/08
Cosmina Ciobanu / Kali Krisik (ND) def. Anna Egorova / Luftiana Budiharto (WSU) 8-6
Shannon Matthews / Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Stephanie Dalmacio / Laryssa Ferreira (WSU) 8-3
Katie Potts / Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Florentina Hanisch / Lenore Lazaroiu (WSU) 8-2
Mallory Voelker / Julia Voekler (DEN) def. Megan Fudge / Leigh Finnegan (ILL) 8-3
Marisa Lambropoulos / Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Kyla Iwinski / Ute Schnoy (DEN) 8-4
Annette Aksdal / Bhavani Tirumurti (DEN) def. Amy Allin / Annie McCarthy (ILL) 8-4
Singles Match #1
Mallory Voelker (DEN) def. Luftiana Budiharto (WSU) 6-2, 6-3
Annette Aksdal (DEN) def. Torrie Browning (WSU) 6-3, 7-6 (7)
Ute Schnoy (DEN) def. Anna Egorova (WSU) 7-6 (3), 6-2
Stephanie Dalmacio (WSU) def. Julia Bauregger (DEN) 6-1, 6-2
Florentina Hanisch (WSU) def. Kyla Iwinski (DEN) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Bhavani Tirumurti (DEN) def. Lenore Lazaroiu (WSU) 6-4, 6-0
Kristina Minor (ILL) def. Laryssa Ferreira (WSU) 6-7 (4), 6-4, 10-7
Anna Egorova / Luftiana Budiharto (WSU) def. Megan Fudge / Leigh Finnegan (ILL) 8-5
Marisa Lambropoulos / Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Stephanie Dalmacio / Lenore Lazaroiu (WSU) 8-4
Annie McCarthy / Shivani Davé (ILL) def. Torrie Browning / Florentina Hanisch (WSU) 8-0
Cosmina Ciobanu / Kali Krisik (ND) def. Mallory Voelker / Julia Voekler (DEN) 8-3
Shannon Matthews / Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Kyla Iwinski / Ute Schnoy (DEN) 9-7
Katie Potts / Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Annette Aksdal / Bhavani Tirumurti (DEN) 8-2
Singles Match #2
Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) 6-4, 6-2
Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Shannon Matthews (ND) 6-4, 7-6 (6)
Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Chelcie Abajian (ILL) 6-3, 6-0
Kali Krisik (ND) def. Shivani Davé (ILL) 6-1, 6-3
Amy Allin (ILL) def. Katie Potts (ND) 6-3, 6-2
