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URBANA, Ill. – Illinois Women's Tennis will host its third-consecutive weekend match at the Atkins Tennis Center this Friday, February 19, when the DePaul Blue Demons make the trip to town. UI holds the all-time series advantage at 3-1 with all four prior matches taking place in Urbana as well.
Getting back to their winning ways last weekend, the Fighting Illini now own a 4-3 record on the 2016 dual campaign, including a 3-1 tally on their home courts. DePaul enters Friday's contest owning a 2-5 record with wins coming over Houston and Minnesota, both by a 4-3 score.
DePaul marks the fifth ranked opponent that the Illini will face this season. Prior to playing unranked South Florida last weekend, the Orange and Blue played four-straight contests against opposition ranked 33rd or better.
While the Illini have been moving up in the rankings as the season has progressed, climbing from 58th to 52nd in the past weeks, DePaul has been trending in the opposite direction. The Blue Demons ranked 35th in the first ITA rankings of the season and are now slated at No. 49. All seven of DePaul's 2016 opponents have ranked in the top-70 in the country, but the Blue Demons have yet to turn in an upset.
Dropping just one doubles decision all season, the Fighting Illini have racked up a 15-3 record collectively in tandem play. Illinois has suffered one loss on each of the three courts to this point. Playing at No. 1, Louise Kwong and Ines Vias own a 3-1 record in completed matches. Madie Baillon and Jerricka Boone team up at No. 2 doubles and own a 5-1 mark. On the third doubles court, Alexis Casati and Daniela Pedraza Novak have combined for a 6-1 record, finishing every contest so far this season.
The final match of Illinois' February homestand will be next Friday, February 26, against Northwestern at 6 p.m. to open Big Ten play. All Friday contests this season will not only have free admission, but free pancakes as well for the "Flapjack Fridays" promotion.
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