Dancer Interview | Results (PDF) | Highlights
URBANA, Ill.– The Illinois men's tennis dual season came to an end on Saturday, May 14, after suffering a 4-0 loss to No. 21 Mississippi State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. UI closes the season with a 20-11 record, hitting 20 wins for the third-consecutive season and eighth time of head coach Brad Dancer's tenure with the Fighting Illini.
"I think Mississippi State played really well; they're well-coached with great players and they obviously took it to us today," stated Dancer. "The guys knew that Mississippi State is a great team. I think for us too much extra stuff was on our minds; if it was going to be inside or outside and thinking about that stuff. Mississippi State just outplayed us today."
Mississippi State took the doubles tally with victories at Nos. 1 and 3. No. 87 Aron Hiltzik/Aleks Vukic fell to 47th-ranked Mate Cutura/Vaughn Hunter of Mississippi State in a 7-5 decision on the top court while Asher Hirsch and Jared Hiltzik came up short to their Bulldog counterparts, 6-3.
Looking to rebound following a doubles loss for the second-straight day, No. 15 Illinois secured first-set victories from Jared Hiltzik and Pengxuan Jiang at Nos. 2 and 5, respectively. Both Hiltzik and Jiang would end up abandoning their matches.
Illinois suffered a 2-0 deficit after Secevic (MSU) defeated Hirsch 6-1, 6-3 at No. 6. Julian Childers was next off the courts, falling by a 6-1, 6-2 decision to Mississippi State's Niclas Braun.
The clincher came at No. 3 where No. 60 Aron Hiltzik fell to No. 70 Nuno Borges, 6-2, 6-4.
Illini Represented in NCAA Singles Championships
Fighting Illini men's tennis will be represented in the NCAA Singles Championships, as the NCAA announced senior Jared Hiltzik and sophomore Vukic to the 64-man field. Sophomore Aron Hiltzik received the fourth alternate spot.
Vukic was awarded All-American honors after receiving the No. 4 overall seed, he earns the 29th All-America honor in Illini history. Vukic, a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection, enters the tournament with a 20-3 dual record. Jared Hiltzik will make his fourth appearance in the NCAA Singles Championships. He is currently a two-time All-American, and boasts a 16-4 dual record this season. As an alternate, Aron Hiltzik will wait to see if his name gets called into the tournament field. A 2016 Second Team All-Big Ten selection, Hiltzik sports an 18-6 dual record.
The NCAA Championships singles and doubles competitions will be conducted May 25-30 at the Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, following the conclusion of the team championship, which runs from May 19-24. The University of Tulsa will serve as host.
#21 Mississippi State University 4, #15 Illinois 0
Singles competition
1. #4 Aleks Vukic (ILL) vs. #34 Mate Cutura (MSU) 4-6, 2-5, unfinished
2. #16 Jared Hiltzik (ILL) vs. #54 Rishab Agarwal (MSU) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0, unfinished
3. #70 Nuno Borges (MSU) def. #60 Aron Hiltzik (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
4. Niclas Braun (MSU) def. Julian Childers (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
5. Pengxuan Jiang (ILL) vs. Strahinja Rakic (MSU) 6-4, 3-1, unfinished
6. Luka Sucevic (MSU) def. Asher Hirsch (ILL) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. #47 Mate Cutura/Vaughn Hunter (MSU) def. #87 Aron Hiltzik/Aleks Vukic (ILL) 7-5
2. Alex Jesse/Pengxuan Jiang (ILL) vs. Trevor Foshey/Luka Sucevic (MSU) 6-6 (1-2), unfinished
3. Rishab Agarwal/Niclas Braun (MSU) def. Asher Hirsch/Jared Hiltzik (ILL) 6-3
Match Notes:
Mississippi State University 18-8; National ranking #21
Illinois 20-11; National ranking #15
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,4,3)
T-2:09 A-217
