Results (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)
EAST LANSING, Mich. – After advancing to its first Big Ten Tournament Semifinals since the 2012 season, Illinois Women's Tennis drew a tough opponent in top-seeded, No. 5 Ohio State. The Orange and Blue battled throughout the contest in a match that was much closer than what the final 4-0 score that favored the Buckeyes read. Illinois exits the tournament with a 15-9 overall reading for its first 15-win season since 2012 while Ohio State improved to 26-2 with the win.
"Lots of credit to Ohio State on their play today and the year they are having," shared Illinois head coach Evan Clark. "The match was much closer than the score but we couldn't quite put that first point on the board."
UI opened doubles play on the day with 2-1 leads at both Nos. 1 and 3 over the Buckeyes and stayed even with the fifth-ranked team in the country all the way to 4-4 on both courts. At No. 1, OSU's Sanford/Kowase duo, ranked at No. 8 in the nation, pushed past the 44th ranked Illini duo of Louise Kwong and Ines Vias to claim the 6-4 win on the top court.
The second doubles decision came at No. 2, where Madie Baillon and Jerricka Boone fell to No. 56 Niehaus/De Santis of the top-seeded Buckeyes 6-3.
Daniela Pedraza Novak and Jaclyn Switkes were in search of their second doubles win of the season at No. 3 over their Ohio State counterparts, but play was abandoned before the match was decided.
"We had a lot of opportunities in doubles but couldn't quite capitalize," said Clark. "As always, that ended up being a huge point today."
Ohio State pushed its advantage to 2-0 following a win at No. 3 singles. Alexis Casati fell to No. 106 Kowase of the Buckeyes in a 6-0, 6-2 decision in the first singles action to finish on the day.
No. 118 Kwong suffered a 6-2, 6-2 loss to fifth-ranked Di Lorenzo of the Buckeyes on the top court. The loss moved the Illini junior to a record of 16-12 on the season and put Ohio State up 3-0 in the match.
The Buckeyes claimed the decisive point at No. 5 singles. Illinois' Switkes took the opening set in a dominating 6-1 fashion but her counterpart, No. 80 Niehaus, fought back to win the next two frames for a final line of 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Matches at Nos. 2, 4 and 6, where Vias, Baillon and Pedraza Novak were working, were abandoned upon the conclusion of No. 5 singles.
"In singles, I couldn't of been prouder of our fight and the way we competed," concluded Clark.
With the victory, Ohio State advances to the Big Ten Tournament Championship to face the winner of the No. 2 Northwestern/No. 3 Michigan contest.
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NO. 5 OHIO STATE 4, NO. 51 ILLINOIS 0
Singles
1: No. 5 Di Lorenzo (OSU) def. No. 118 Louise Kwong – 6-2, 6-2
2: Ines Vias vs. No. 110 Sanford (OSU) – 6-7 (5-7), 5-2, unfinished
3: No. 108 Kowase (OSU) def. Alexis Casati – 6-0, 6-2
4: Madie Baillon vs. Angeles Paz (OSU) – 2-6, 4-5, unfinished
5: No. 80 Niehaus (OSU) def. Jaclyn Switkes – 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
6: Daniela Pedraza Novak vs. No. 111 Sneed (OSU) – 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 0-1, unfinished
Doubles
1: No. 8 Sanford/Kowase (OSU) def. No. 44 Louise Kwong/Ines Vias – 6-4
2: No. 56 Niehaus/De Santis (OSU) def. Jerricka Boone/Madie Baillon – 6-3
3: Daniela Pedraza Novak/Jaclyn Switkes vs. Di Lorenzo/Sneed (OSU) – 5-6
Order of finish:
Doubles – 1, 2, uf
Singles – 3, 1, 5
