PQ Singles Results | PQ Doubles Results

The Illinois women's tennis team kicked off its fall season at both the All-American Pre-Qualifier and the Notre Dame Invitational. Melissa Kopinski and Alexis Casati traveled to UCLA to compete in the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships while head coach Michelle Dasso and the rest of the team traveled to Notre Dame.

Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships

In Los Angeles, in the pre-qualifying singles, Casati fell to Kelsey Dieters of Kentucky 6-4, 6-3 in the opening round of competition. Kopinski topped Houston's Elena Kordolaimi 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round to move on to face Mariana Gould from Georgia in the second round. The Illinois senior was eliminated after falling 6-2, 6-4.

In the Pre-Qualifying doubles competition, Casati and Kopinski fell to the third-seeded Texas Tech duo of Kilgo and Kiro 8-6 in the first round of play.

As coach Dasso traveled with the majority of the team to the Notre Dame Invitational, former player Christine Stromberg accompanied the sophomore-senior duo to the west coast. Dasso shared, "Mel and Lex were in great hands traveling with former player and alum Christine Stromberg. Christine bleeds orange and blue and has a great passion and understanding of the game. Mel and Lex were excited and lucky to travel with Christine."

Notre Dame Invitational

In South Bend, Indiana, the rest of the Illini gave a strong showing in the first event of the fall season. Dasso's crew compiled a 12-9 singles record to accompany a 9-3 doubles mark over the weekend at the Courtney Tennis Center.

On the first day of action, four Illini picked up singles wins. Grace Tapak, Jade Hilton, Emily Barretta and Madie Baillon got the weekend off to a good start with wins. Tapak defeated Notre Dame's Fennelly 6-3,6-3. Barretta took down Akron's Geier 6-0, 6-4. In three sets Hilton was able to down Notre Dame's White 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 while Baillon won over Boesing of Louisville 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.

Louise Kwong fell to Closs of Notre Dame 6-1, 6-4. Jerricka Boone took the first set but couldn't hold on against Birol of Tulane and lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Julia Jamieson also went three sets on the first day but was taken down by Tulane's Karagoz 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

The three Illinois doubles combinations saw their first action at the Notre Dame Invitational. In the first flight of doubles play Boone and Hilton teamed up to take down Purdue's Djokovic and Suarez 8-3. Tapak and Kwong beat the Boesing/Mally combination from Louisville 8-6 while the Baillon/Jamieson tandem lost 8-2 against Vrabel and White of the host, Notre Dame.

The second flight of doubles saw three Illini victories over Tulane. Kwong and Tapak beat Birol and Stracar 8-4. Baillon and Jamieson took down the Katz/ Kragoz duo 8-2. The Boone and Hilton tandem defeated Dvorak and Klier also by a score of 8-2.

Saturday's singles competition saw four more orange and blue victories. Senior Jamieson defeated Purdue's Nicole Robinson 6-3, 6-1. Hilton took down Tulane's Meredith Maltby 7-6-1, 7-6-2 while Baillon beat Shannon Newnes of Akron 7-6-4, 7-2 and Barretta cameback to beat Notre Dame's Alaina Roberts 1-6, 6-3, 10-6 (tiebreak).

On Saturday, Illinois sputtered early, taking one of its three first round doubles matches. Baillon and Jamieston defeated Maltby and Nommensen of Tulane 8-7 while Boone and Hilton lost to O'Koniewski and Miller of Notre Dame by an 8-7 mark. Kwong and Tapak fell to Kapitany and Robinson of Purdue 8-7.

In the second round of doubles Dasso's crew swept. Boone and Hilton beat Vrabel and White of ND 8-3 while Kwong and Tapak took down Purdue's Djokovic and Suarez 8-5 and finally, Baillon and Jamieson marked an 8-6 win over Klier and Dvorak of Tulane.

Notre Dame Invitational play finished up on Sunday with a final round of singles competition. Baillon beat Tulane's Klier 6-2, 7-5 while teammate Kwong took down Nommenson of Tulane 7-6(5), 6-3. Hilton also picked up a victory as she defeated Purdue's Kapitany 6-2, 6-3. Jamieson was defeated by Allie Miller of Notre Dame 6-2, 6-3. Boone fell to Daniela Vidal of Purdue 6-1, 6-2 and Tapak lost to Elle Stokes of Louisville 6-4, 6-4.

Results Breakdown

Friday - Singles
Closs (Notre Dame) def. Kwong (Illinois) - 6-1, 6-4
Tapak (Illinois) def. Fennelly (Notre Dame) - 6-3, 6-3
Birol (Tulane) def. Boone (Illinois) - 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Hilton (Illinois) def. White (Notre Dame) - 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
Karagoz (Tulane) def. Jamieson (Illinois) - 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Barretta (Illinois) def. Geier (Akron) - 6-0, 6-4
Baillon (Illinois) def. Boesing (Louisville) - 6-2, 5-7, 6-0
Friday - Doubles
Boone/Hilton (Illinois) def. Djokovic/Suarez (Purdue) - 8-3
Vrabel/White (Notre Dame) def. Baillon/Jamieson (Illinois) - 8-2
Kwong/Tapak (Illinois) def. Boesing/Mally (Louisville) - 8-6
Kwong/Tapak (Illinois) def. Birol/Stracar (Tulane) - 8-4
Baillon/Jamieson (Illinois) def. Katz/Karagoz (Tulane) - 8-2
Boone/ Hilton (Illinois) def. Dvorak/ Kiler (Tulane) - 8-2

Saturday - Singles
Vrabel (Notre Dame) def. Boone (Illinois) - 6-2, 6-1
Bernard- Feigenbaum (Purdue) def. Kwong (Illinois) - 6-7, 6-4, 6-3
Jamieson (Illinois) def. Robinson (Purdue) - 6-3, 6-1
Djokovic (Purdue) def. Tapak (Illinois) - 6-3, 6-1
Hilton (Illinois) def. Maltby (Tulane) - 7-6-1, 7-6-2
Baillon (Illinois) def. Newnes (Akron) - 7-6-4, 6-2
Barretta (Illinois) def. Roberts (Notre Dame) - 1-6, 6-3, 10-6 (tiebreak)
Saturday - Doubles
Kapitany/Robinson (Purdue) def. Kwong/Tapak (Illinois) - 8-7
Baillon/Jamieson (Illinois) def. Maltby/Nommensen (Tulane) - 8-7
O'Koniewski/Miller (Notre Dame) def.  Boone/Hilton (Illinois) - 8-7
Boone/Hilton (Illinois) def. Vrabel/White (Notre Dame) - 8-3

Kwong/Tapak (Illinois) def. Djokovic/Suarez (Purdue) - 8-5
Baillon/Jamieson (Illinois) def. Klier/Dvorak (Tulane) - 8-6

Sunday - Singles
Miller (Notre Dame) def. Jamieson (Illinois) - 6-2, 6-3
Baillon (Illinois) def. Klier (Tulane) - 6-2, 7-5
Vidal (Purdue) def. Boone (Illinois) - 6-1, 6-2
Kwong (Illinois) def. Nommenson (Tulane) - 7-6(5), 6-3
Stokes (Louisville) def. Tapak (Illinois) - 6-4, 6-4
Hilton (Illinois) def. Kapitany (Purdue) - 6-2, 6-3

Coach Dasso's Thoughts

"I feel the girls played with a sense of purpose and the majority of the team looked better with each match. We had three doubles teams playing together for the first time and walked away with an overall 9-3 record on the weekend, which was positive. We looked strong and fit which is a direct result of the girl's efforts in the weight room with Coach Bass, who is doing an incredible job. We left the weekend healthy and ready to get back to work on the practice courts."

Looking Forward

Next on the agenda for the Illini is the Midwest Regional that runs from October 16-21. The event will be held in Urbana, Illinois at the Atkins Tennis Center/ Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex.

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