Jan. 21, 2012

Box Score

ILL-WIU Box Score | ILL-ISU Box Score

URBANA, Ill. - The Fighting Illini women's tennis team cruised to two 7-0 victories Saturday at Atkins Tennis Center to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2001. The Orange and Blue captured dominating wins over Western Illinois (0-2) and Illinois State (0-1) and were efficient all day long, winning every match in straight sets and dropping only 13 games over both dual matches.

"It couldn't have gone much better today," Illini head coach Michelle Dasso said. "Julia Jamieson and Melissa Kopinski did a great job stepping in and playing in their first home dual matches of their careers. They composed themselves very well. It was awesome to see Julia's hard work in practice pay off. She's a competitor and really showed that this weekend."

Sophomore Allison Falkin led the Illini with two 6-0, 6-0 wins at No. 1 singles, while newcomers Melissa Kopinski and Julia Jamieson each added two singles victories as well.

In the first match of the day, the Illini held Western Illinois scoreless, without relinquishing a game in singles or doubles play. The Orange and Blue got off to a solid start in doubles, as senior tandem Amy Allin and Chelcie Abajian and junior Misia Kedzierski and Jamieson secured the doubles point for the Orange and Blue, going 8-0 in their respective matches. The winning continued in singles play, as Falkin, Kopinski, Abajian, Jamieson and junior Breanne Smutko each downed their opponents, 6-0. The Illini also won the No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles matches by default because Western Illinois had only five players.

Illinois followed up its stellar match-one performance with a convincing win over Illinois State. Abajian and Smutko, the 27th-ranked duo in the nation, and the team of Allin and Jamieson captured 8-1 wins in their respective matches to secure the doubles point, while Falkin and junior Rachael White paired up to add an 8-3 victory at the No. 1 spot. Meanwhile, Falkin, Kopinski, Allin, White, Kedzierski and Jamieson were each victorious in their singles matches.

"It's great to be 3-0," Dasso said. "But it's going to get tougher here on out. I think our girls are ready and have hopefully gained a lot of confidence over the past two weekends."

The Orange and Blue will head to Durham, N.C., next week for ITA Kick-off Weekend. The Illini will take on Winthrop on Friday, Jan. 27 before facing either No. 3 Duke or the College of Charleston on Jan. 28 or 29.

Illinois vs. Western Illinois
Singles
1. Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Ashley Rettger (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Melissa Kopinski (ILL) def. Jessica Callahan (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Kelly Wyffels (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
4. Breanne Smutko (ILL) def. Megan Pazdernick (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Julia Jamieson (ILL) def. Roxana Stancioiu (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
6. No player (ILL) def. No player (WIU), by default

Doubles
1. Amy Allin/Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Ashley Rettger/Jessica Callahan (WIU) 8-0
2. Misia Kedzierski/Julia Jamieson (ILL) def. Kelly Wyffels/Megan Pazdernick (WIU) 8-0
3. No player/No player (ILL) def. No player/No player (WIU), by default

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,4,3,5,1,6)

Illinois vs. Illinois State
Singles
1. Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Aniko Kiss (ISU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Melissa Kopinski (ILL) def. Phyllis Tigges (ISU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Amy Allin (ILL) def. Ariane Maack (ISU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Rachael White (ILL) def. Stefanie Youngberg (ISU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Misia Kedzierski (ILL) def. Gabriella Phillips (ISU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Julia Jamieson (ILL) def. Hannah Esker (ISU) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Allison Falkin/Rachael White (ILL) def. Aniko Kiss/Phyllis Tigges (ISU) 8-3
2. #27 Breanne Smutko/Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Ariane Maack/Hannah Esker (ISU) 8-1
3. Amy Allin/Julia Jamieson (ILL) def. Heather Nisbet/Stefanie Youngberg (ISU) 8-1

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,4,3,5,6,2)