March 23, 2008
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The No. 55-ranked Illinois women's tennis team returned to their winning ways as they rebounded from a short slump on the road to take down Michigan State today in East Lansing, 4-3, at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility. The Illini are now back to .500 on the season at 6-6, while they remain perfect in Big Ten action at 2-0 with their wins over Michigan State and in their Big Ten opening victory over Purdue two weeks ago.
"Our win had a lot to do with our effort in the doubles," head coach Michelle Dasso said. "I changed the doubles lineup a little bit heading into today's match. Our doubles teams clicked from the start and that was the difference today. It feels great to get another Big Ten win under our belt. Now it's time to head back home and prepare for a tough conference weekend ahead of us."
With the loss, Michigan State dropped to 9-6 on the year, 1-1 in conference action. The Illini also captured the first victory over the Spartans since winning at home in 2006 and have also now exceeded their win total from a year ago when the team went 5-17. Overall, something head coach Michelle Dasso has already seen with the recruitment of her first freshman class making a huge impact on the squad, her Illini are well on their way to a huge turnaround, also doubling their Big Ten wins from 2007 as well (1-9 Big Ten record in 2007). All of these feats come with the Big Ten season just beginning, and in the horizon a NCAA berth still in reach for the young Illinois Fighting Illini.
As for the match itself, Illinois charted the win by starting out the doubles portion of the afternoon with a shaken up lineup at all three doubles positions - resulting in Illinois capturing the pivotal point for the first time in four matches. Playing together for the first time this year, redshirt freshman Leigh Finnegan paired with freshman Marisa Lambropoulos, starting off the doubles with a key win at No. 2 doubles, 9-7, over Ana Milosavljevic and Manon Noe (MSU). At the top slot, playing also in their first contest as a tandem, junior Shivani Davé and sophomore Megan Fudge sealed the doubles point as they overwhelmed Christine Bader and Whitney Wilson (MSU), 8-4. Michigan State ended the doubles part of the day by nabbing a slim 8-5 victory at No. 3, but the damage had already been done.
With the match far from being done, the Spartans looked strong early in the singles part of the contest, but Illinois was determined to not let their clean Big Ten slate be marred with a loss.
MSU came out of the gates roaring, nonetheless, stealing a quick 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles, but was immediately quieted when Fudge (ILL) answered with a 6-0, 6-4 win on court two over Noe (MSU) to give Illinois the 2-1 lead. In a see-saw affair the rest of the way, the Spartans responded with a straight-sets win on court three - knotting the match at 2-all - but could not savor the victory long as senior Momei Qu (ILL) polished off a 7-5, 6-4 triumph over Milosavljevic (MSU) on court five.
And then, tossing in her third match-clinching victory of the season - tied for the most on the team along side Davé - was sophomore Kristina Minor (ILL), who upended Ally Wickman (MSU), 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, in a marathon of a battle at the sixth slot. Michigan State then captured the final match left on court at No. 4 singles to make the score 4-3, in favor of the Illini.
The Illini return home for a pair of Big Ten matches next weekend - their first matches at the Atkins Tennis Center in over a month - when they host ranked Wisconsin on Saturday, March 29, followed by No. 1-ranked Northwestern on Sunday, March 30. Both matches are slated for noon starts in Urbana, Ill., with live scoring available at fightingillini.com for both contests.
#55 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 4, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 3
3/23/2008 AT EAST LANSING, MICH. (MSU INDOOR TENNIS FACILITY)
Singles competition
1. Christine Bader (MSU) def. Leigh Finnegan (ILL) - 6-1, 6-1
2. Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Manon Noe (MSU) - 6-0, 6-4
3. Stephanie Kebler (MSU) def. Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) - 6-3, 6-2
4. Lindsey Lonergan (MSU) def. Shivani Davé (ILL) - 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
5. Momei Qu (ILL) def. Ana Milosavljevic (MSU) - 7-5, 6-4
6. Kristina Minor (ILL) def. Ally Wickman (MSU) - 6-3, 4-6, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Shivani Davé / Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Christine Bader / Whitney Wilson (MSU) - 8-4
2. Leigh Finnegan / Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) def. Ana Milosavljevic / Manon Noe (MSU) - 9-7
3. Stephanie Kebler / Lindsey Lonergan (MSU) def. Kristina Minor / Christine Stromberg (ILL) - 8-5
Match Notes
University of Illinois 6-6, 2-0 Big Ten; National Ranking - 55
Michigan State University 9-6, 1-1 Big Ten
Order of finish: Doubles (2, 1, 3); Singles (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4)
