COLUMBUS, Ohio – After two weeks of action from the confines of the Atkins Tennis Center, Illinois Women's Tennis hit the road to put its seven-match winning streak on the line at No. 5 Ohio State. The Buckeyes proved to be too much for the Orange and Blue and took the 7-0 decision and have yet to give up a match in Big Ten play. With the loss, Illinois moved to 12-7 on the dual season and 6-2 in league play.
"Credit to Ohio State for outplaying us from start to finish," Illinois head coach Evan Clark said. "There is a reason there are a top-five team in the country."
The Orange and Blue hung tough against Ohio States doubles tandems to open the afternoon. At No. 3 doubles, the freshman tandem of Jaclyn Switkes and Daniela Pedraza Novak worked to their second win in as many matches in dual play, taking down OSU's Olivia Sneed/Francesca Di Lorenzo duo in a 7-5 decision.
At No. 1, Louise Kwong and Ines Vias fell to No. 7 Anna Sanford and Miho Kowase 6-2. The loss was the Illinois duo's first in Big Ten play and moves them to 19-7 together on the season and 7-1 in league contests. Madie Baillon and Jerricka Boone fell in a 6-4 decision at No. 2 doubles to Ohio State's Gabriella De Santis/Sandy Niehaus tandem.
On the singles side, play at No. 2 wrapped up first as Alexis Casati fell in a straight-set decision to No. 103 Sanford from Ohio State. The Buckeyes took a 3-0 lead after picking up the tally at No. 1 singles where Kwong dropped a 6-2, 6-0 match to No. 3 Di Lorenzo.
The Buckeyes clinched the match with a victory at No. 6 singles. Switkes fell to No. 107 Sneed by a line of 6-2, 6-2, which snapped her six-match winning streak.
Play at No. 5 wrapped up next where Boone dropped a 6-1, 6-1 fight to Ohio State's Ferny Angeles Paz.
At No. 4 singles, Illini junior Baillon took No. 74 Sandy Niehaus to a super tiebreaker to decide the winner. After falling 4-6 in the opening set, Baillon bounced back with a 6-2 victory in set two. Niehaus took the breaker 10-4.
The final match to finish on the afternoon came at No. 3 singles, where Vias fell in a 6-1, 6-3 decision against OSU's Kowase.
No. 48 Illinois will look to get back to its winning ways on Sunday, April 17, in a 10 a.m. CT contest with Penn State.
"We will rebound and look to get back on track against Penn State on Sunday," shared Clark.
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No. 5 Ohio State 7, No. 48 Illinois 0
Singles competition
1. #3 Francesca Di Lorenzo (OSU) def. #113 Louise Kwong (ILL) 6-2, 6-0
2. #103 Anna Sanford (OSU) def. Alexis Casati (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
3. Miho Kowase (OSU) def. Ines Vias (ILL) 6-1, 6-3
4. #74 Sandy Niehaus (OSU) def. Madie Baillon (ILL) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-4)
5. Ferny Angeles Paz (OSU) def. Jerricka Boone (ILL) 6-1, 6-1
6. #107 Olivia Sneed (OSU) def. Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #7 Anna Sanford/Miho Kowase (OSU) def. #40 Louise Kwong/Ines Vias (ILL) 6-2
2. Gabriella De Santis/Sandy Niehaus (OSU) def. Madie Baillon/Jerricka Boone (ILL) 6-4
3. Daniela Pedraza Novak/Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) def. Olivia Sneed/Francesca Di Lorenzo (OSU) 7-5
Match Notes:
Illinois 12-7, 6-2 B1G; National ranking #48
Ohio State 22-2, 8-0 B1G; National ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,1,6,5,4,3)
T-2:15 A-107
