April 10, 2011
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -
After claiming four straight matches heading into Sunday's match, the Illini women's tennis team (8-9, 4-2 Big Ten) came up short at No. 16 Northwestern (13-5, 6-0), 5-2, at Vandy Christie Tennis Center. Redshirt senior Leigh Finnegan and sophomore Breanne Smutko each collected singles wins, while Smutko also won in doubles with senior Annie McCarthy.
"Two of our players who have been a little lower on confidence lately picked up the singles wins, so I think that's a huge plus heading into our Big Ten match against Michigan on Friday," head coach Michelle Dasso said. "We competed well and it was a very good college match."
Illinois nearly won the hard-fought doubles battle, as the point came down to the No. 1 spot where the 20th-ranked duo of sophomore Rachael White and freshman Allison Falkin went up 5-4 in the tiebreaker, but the Wildcats rallied back to make it 7-6, before taking the match 9-8 (8-6).
In singles, Finnegan swept Nida Hamilton, 7-5, 6-2, for her first Big Ten win of the year and Smutko collected her second with a come-from-behind victory over Brittany Wowchuk, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (11-9).
The Illini return to Atkins Tennis Center next weekend for their final home matches of the regular season, beginning with No. 10 Michigan on Friday at 4 p.m.
Match Results
#16 Northwestern 5, Illinois 2
Singles competition
1. #16 Maria Mosolova (NU) def. Amy Allin (ILL) 6-2, 7-5
2. #74 Belinda Niu (NU) def. #96 Rachael White (ILL) 6-3, 6-4
3. #92 Kate Turvy (NU) def. Allison Falkin (ILL) 6-1, 6-4
4. Breanne Smutko (ILL) def. Brittany Wowchuk (NU) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (11-9)
5. Stacey Lee (NU) def. Misia Kedzierski (ILL) 6-0, 6-1
6. Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Nida Hamilton (NU) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #7 Linda Abu Mushrefova/Nida Hamilton (NU) def. #20 Rachael White/Allison Falkin (ILL) 9-8 (8-6)
2. Maria Mosolova/Belinda Niu (NU) def. Amy Allin/Leigh Finnegan (ILL) 8-4
3. Annie McCarthy/Breanne Smutko (ILL) def. Elena Chernyakova/Brittany Wowchuk (NU) 8-5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,3,1,6,2,4)
