March 12, 2010
Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The 44th-ranked Illini women's tennis team (6-6, 1-1 Big Ten) returned to .500 and picked up its first conference win of the season Friday afternoon, handing No. 28 Indiana (10-5, 0-2) its third straight loss with a 6-1 defeat at the IU Tennis Center. Illinois swept all three doubles matches and claimed five of six singles matches, while junior Leigh Finnegan clinched the win with her fifth straight victory.
"It was a great day for us overall and a huge confidence-builder," head coach Michelle Dasso said. "Indiana is a very talented program, so it's nice to get a W. Everyone played very well and it started right off the bat with winning the doubles point, which then allowed us to feel comfortable in singles. We'll build from this and look forward to another Big Ten match next week."
Illinois wasted no time getting ahead in doubles, as the 46th-ranked tandem of Finnegan and senior Megan Fudge topped Leslie Hureau and Myriam Sopel, 8-4, before junior Marisa Lambropoulos and freshman Breanne Smutko sealed the point with an 8-1 win over Maria Guerreiro and Charlotte Martin. Sophomore Chelcie Abajian and freshman Rachael White completed the sweep with a big victory over No. 24 Lindsey Stuckey and Evgeniya Vertesheva, 8-5. The momentum carried over into singles, where Abajian and Smutko cruised to straight-set victories before Finnegan clinched the win with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Stuckey. Lambropoulos added a victory at No. 3 singles and Fudge won by retirement at the top spot.
The Illini will battle Wisconsin in the third match of the day at Atkins Tennis Center next Friday, March 19 at 7 p.m., following the men's match against Illinois State, which is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
Match Results
#44 Illinois 6, #28 Indiana 1
Singles competition
1. #112 Megan Fudge (ILL) def. #101 Leslie Hureau (IND) 6-3, 2-3, retired
2. Evgeniya Vertesheva (IND) def. #94 Rachael White (ILL) 6-4, 6-0
3. Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) def. Myriam Sopel (IND) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Lindsey Stuckey (IND) 6-4, 6-2
5. Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Charlotte Martin (IND) 6-0, 6-2
6. Breanne Smutko (ILL) def. Maria Guerreiro (IND) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #46 Leigh Finnegan/Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Leslie Hureau/Myriam Sopel (IND) 8-4
2. Chelcie Abajian/Rachael White (ILL) def. #24 Lindsey Stuckey/Evgeniya Vertesheva (IND) 8-5
3. Breanne Smutko/Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) def. Maria Guerreiro/Charlotte Martin (IND) 8-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,6,2,4,3)
