University of Illinois
Notre Dame
No. 33 Notre Dame Outlasts 53rd-Ranked Illini
January 31, 2016 | Women's Tennis
Orange and Blue extend doubles point streak
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Illinois Women's Tennis has yet to relinquish a doubles point this season, claiming the point now against a trio of higher-ranked opponents after today's match at Notre Dame. After winning the match's opening point, the Illini stuttered in singles action, picking up just one more tally on the day. The Illini ultimately fell 5-2 to No. 33 Notre Dame and are now 3-2 on the season while the Irish improved to 2-2.
Doubles action from the Eck Tennis Pavilion did not disappoint, as extra tennis was necessary to determine the winner of the match's first point. Jerricka Boone and Madie Baillon picked up their fourth doubles victory of the dual season with a 6-3 decision over Notre Dame's Allison Miller and Brooke Broda in the first contest to finish on the day. Court one doubles play wrapped up with 32nd-ranked Gleason and Robinson of the Irish taking the match 6-3 over Louise Kwong and Ines Vias.
All eyes turned to the third doubles court where Illinois' Alexis Casati and Daniela Pedraza Novak battled the Irish's Closs and Vrabel. Neither side led by more than a single game in the contest, which extended into the tiebreaker. The sides traded points until the Casati and Pedraza Novak knotted the breaker at 5-5 and proceeded to take the following two points to secure the doubles point for Illinois.
While just one finished match needed more than two sets, singles play proved to be exciting. Illinois took the opening game on four of six singles courts.
At No. 2, Kwong fell 6-2, 6-3 to Notre Dame's Robinson to knot the match score at 1-1. No. 1 singles saw Casati jump out to a 3-1 lead in the opening set, but get shut out the rest of the way, falling in a 6-3, 6-0 decision that favored No. 57 Quinn Gleason.
Notre Dame took a 3-1 lead in the contest when Allison Miller defeated No. 114 Jerricka Boone in a 6-2, 6-3 fashion at No. 3 singles.
Madie Baillon secured the only singles victory for the Orange and Blue. After claiming the first set 6-3, Baillon fell in the second set by the same margin. The Illini junior put her counterpart away, 6-1, in the deciding set to pull Illinois within one at 3-2 in the match.
Action at No. 4 singles was the deciding factor in today's match as Vias fell in matching 7-5 sets. Notre Dame's Mary Closs secured the Irish victory with the straight-set win.
Over at No. 5 singles, Pedraza Novak fell in the opening frame 3-6, but mounted a comeback in set two to force a tiebreaker that she went on to win 7-3. Notre Dame's Broda took the final frame by a line of 11-9 to make the final score 5-2 in favor of the hosts.
After three matches on the road, the Fighting Illini will finally return home to host No. 22 Kentucky at the Atkins Tennis Center. Action is slated for Saturday, Feb. 6, beginning at 6 p.m. CT. The Orange and Blue will play at home the entire month of February, hosting four opponents including Kentucky.
NO. 33 NOTRE DAME 5, NO. 53 ILLINOIS 2
Singles
1. #57 Quinn Gleason (ND) def. Alexis Casati (ILL) 6-3, 6-0
2. Monica Robinson (ND) def. Louise Kwong (ILL) 6-2, 6-3
3. Allison Miller (ND) def. #114 Jerricka Boone (ILL) 6-2, 6-3
4. Mary Closs (ND) def. Ines Vias (ILL) 7-5, 7-5
5. Brooke Broda (ND) def. Daniela Pedraza Novak (ILL) 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 11-9
6. Madie Baillon (ILL) def. Jane Fennelly (ND) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Doubles
1. #32 Quinn Gleason/Monica Robinson (ND) def. Louise Kwong /Ines Vias (ILL) 6-3
2. Jerricka Boone / Madie Baillon (ILL) def. Allison Miller/Brooke Broda (ND) 6-3
3. Alexis Casati / Daniela Pedraza Novak (ILL) def. Mary Closs/Julie Vrabel (ND) 7-6 (7-5)
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