@IlliniWTennis Rebounds with 5-2 Victory at Penn State

Sunday, April 17

University Park, Pa.

10 AM CT

University of Illinois

Penn State

@IlliniWTennis Rebounds with 5-2 Victory at Penn State

April 17, 2016 | Women's Tennis

Illinois improves to 7-2 in the Big Ten

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Illinois Women's Tennis got back to its winning ways on Sunday, April 17, with a 5-2 victory over Penn State in University Park. Despite losing just their fourth doubles point of the season, the Illini bounced back and claimed five of six contests on the singles courts to seal the win. The Orange and Blue improved to 13-7 on the dual season with the decision and are now 7-2 in Big Ten play.

"Not our best doubles performance today, but credit to Penn State for playing well and coming out with a lot of energy," opened Illinois head coach Evan Clark. "We will need to shore some things up in regards to doubles because, as always, that is an important point for us."

No. 40 Louise Kwong and Ines Vias got back on track with a demanding 6-1 win over Penn State's Surin/McCluskey combo. The victory marked Kwong and Vias' 22^nd win on the season as a duo over the course of 29 finished matches. The Illini tandem is 14-3 in dual doubles play and 8-1 in the Big Ten.

Penn State claimed the following two doubles matches to become just the fourth team this season to take a match's opening point over the Fighting Illini. At No. 2, Jerricka Boone and Madie Baillon dropped a 6-4 decision while the freshman duo of Jaclyn Switkes and Daniela Pedraza Novak lost a 6-2 battle.

With Penn State up 1-0 entering singles play, the Orange and Blue got to work, claiming the next three decisions to take a 3-1 lead. First back to the bench was Pedraza Novak, who got the best of Penn State's Katherine Whiteaway at No. 6 singles without dropping a singles game in a pair of 6-0 sets. The win was Pedraza Novak's first Big Ten victory of her career.

Switkes wrapped up play next at No. 4, where she lost hold of just one game and defeated Zuhse of PSU by a line of 6-0, 6-1. The Illini freshman is now 7-1 in Big Ten contests.

Baillon finished work at No. 3 soon after, claiming a straight-set 6-1, 6-3 decision over her PSU counterpart. The junior is now 7-2 against conference opponents and 14-5 overall.

Penn State secured its final point of the day next at No. 5. Illinois' Jade Hilton lost her battle to Daria Sapogova by a line that favored PSU 6-2, 7-5.

Play on the top court was next to conclude with Kwong taking down the Nittany Lions' Kimberley Surin in straight sets of 7-5, 6-4. Kwong is now 6-3 in Big Ten play and 15-11 on the season.'

The final match to wrap up on the day was at No. 2 where Vias and PSU's Ekaterina Blik extended their battle to three sets. Vias claimed the opener 6-3 but fell 4-6 in round two. The final set was quickly put out of reach by the Illini freshman, who worked to a 6-1 win in the decider.

"I was really pleased and proud of the way our group bounced back in singles," said Clark. "We won five out of six first sets and were really able to set the tone early."

Illinois returns home to host Michigan State on Friday, April 22, in a 3:30 p.m. CT contest from the Atkins Tennis Center. The Orange and Blue will honor their lone senior, Emily Barretta at the match. The Illini squad will then travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to conclude regular-season play with a 2 p.m. CT contest with Michigan on Sunday, April 24.

"We still feel like our best tennis is ahead of us as we head into the last weekend of Big Ten play, the Big Ten tournament and hopefully beyond," Clark stated.

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No. 48 Illinois 5, Penn State 2

Singles competition

1. Louise Kwong def. Surin (PSU) 7-5, 6-4

2. Ines Vias def. Blik (PSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1

3. Madie Baillon def. McCluskey (PSU) 6-1, 6-3

4. Jaclyn Switkes def. Zuhse (PSU) 6-0, 6-1

5. Sapogova (PSU) def. Jade Hilton 6-2, 7-5

6. Daniela Pedraza Novak def. Whiteaway (PSU) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. #40 Louise Kwong/Ines Vias def. Surin/McCluskey (PSU) 6-1