Box Score 

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The No. 11 Fighting Illini women's tennis team defeated the Michigan State Spartans, 4-1 on Sunday afternoon in East Lansing. The Illini improve to 17-3 overall this season and 6-2 in Big Ten play.

Illinois grabbed the doubles point behind two wins at the No. 1 and 2 positions. The Illini's No. 38-ranked tandem of freshman Sasha Belaya and junior Daniela Pedraza-Novak defeated Metcalf and Nguyen, 6-2. Freshman Asuka Kawai and junior Jaclyn Switkes clinched the point on court two over Kuutila and Shaker, 6-4.

Michigan State struck first in singles play with a Spartan victory on two. Belaya responded with her sixth-straight singles win at the No. 5 position. Fellow-freshman Mia Rabinowitz was next off the court and extended her singles winning streak to seven matches with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Metcalf. Freshman Emilee Duong clinched her third Illini win of the season at the No. 6 position to seal the Illini's sixth Big Ten win. 

Up next, the Illini return to the Atkins Tennis Center for the home finale of the 2018 regular season. Illinois welcomes Minnesota next Friday night at 5 pm and then Wisconsin on Sunday at noon.

Final Results

#11 Illinois 4, Michigan State 1

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

1. #38 Belaya/Pedraza-Novak (Illinois) def. Metcalf/Nguyen (MSU) 6-2
2. Kawai/Switkes (Illinois) def. Kuuttila/Shaker (MSU) 6-4
3. Baylis/Thielman (MSU) def. Duong/Rabinowitz (Illinois) 6-1  

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

1. Jaclyn Switkes (Illinois) vs. Aslina Chua (MSU) 7-5, 5-5, unf.
2. Habiba Shaker (MSU) def. #83 Asuka Kawai (Illinois) 6-1, 6-4  
3. Daniela Pedraza-Novak (Illinois) vs. Sara Kuutila (MSU) 6-3, 3-6, 1-2, unf.
4. Mia Rabinowitz (Illinois) def. Emily Metcalf (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Sasha Belaya (Illinois) def. Samantha Memije (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Emilee Duong (Illinois) def. Davina Nguyen (MSU) 7-5, 6-4

Records: Illinois (17-3, 6-2) | Michigan State (13-7, 4-4)

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