Box Score 

URBANA, Ill.  – The No. 5 Fighting Illini fell to the No. 14 Northwestern Wildcats, 4-3 on Friday afternoon at the Atkins Tennis Center. Illinois moves to 10-2 overall this season and 1-1 in Big Ten play.

The Illini grabbed the doubles point on Friday afternoon with wins on courts two and three. Freshmen Asuka Kawai and Mia Rabinowitz were first off the court with a 6-2 win over Byrne and Doshi at the No. 3 position. Down 5-2, freshman Sasha Belaya and junior Daniela Pedraza-Novak won five-straight games against No. 13-ranked Chatta and Or to bring the match to 5-all. The duo clinched the point, 7-1 in a tiebreak.

In singles play, Northwestern was able to get two points back on courts one and three. Pedraza-Novak brought the match to 2-all with a win against Inci Ogut, 7-6(4), 6-1 on court five. In the end, the Wildcats took the matches of courts four and two to clinch the victory.

Up next, the Illini will host the Indiana Hoosiers next Saturday morning at 10:30 am.

Final Results

#14 Northwestern 4, #5 Illinois 3

Doubles-Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2*

1. #2 Larner/Lipp (Northwestern) def. Duong/Switkes (Illinois) 6-1
2. Belaya/Pedraza-Novak (Illinois) def. #13 Chatt/Or (Northwestern) 7-6(1)  
3. Kawai/Rabinowitz (Illinois) def. Byrne/Doshi (Northwestern) 6-2

Singles-Order of Finish: 3, 1, 5, 4, 2*, 6 

1. #85 Erin Larner (Northwestern) def. Asuka Kawai (Illinois) 6-1, 3-6, 6-0
2. #88 Lee Or (Northwestern) def. #79 Jaclyn Switkes (Illinois) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 
3. #65 Maddie Lipp (Northwestern) def. Mia Rabinowitz (Illinois) 6-1, 6-2
4. Alex Chatt (Northwestern) def. Emilee Duong (Illinois) 7-5, 6-4
5. Daniela Pedraza-Novak (Illinois) def. Inci Ogut (Northwestern) 7-6(4), 6-1
6. Sasha Belaya (Illinois) def. Julie Byrne (Northwestern) 4-6, 6-3, 2-2, forfeit  

Records: Illinois (10-2) | Northwestern (7-3)

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