Box Score

URBANA, Ill. - It didn't come easy, but the Fighting Illini women's tennis team came away with a narrow, 4-3, victory over Notre Dame Friday night at Atkins Tennis Center. The Orange and Blue will have a quick turnaround, as the team welcomes Oregon on Sunday, Feb. 10, at 11 a.m. 

Doubles action saw the Illini grab the early one-point advantage for the second time this season, as the pairs of Switkes/Duong and Kawai/Rabinowitz picked up wins on courts two and three.

The match went back and forth in singles play with Notre Dame striking first, as Corse defeated Daniela Pedraza Novak, 6-1, 6-3 on court four. The Illini responded with wins on courts five and six. Sophomore Mia Rabinowitz took down Broda, 6-3, 6-3 on court five and fellow-sophomore Sasha Belaya put the Illini on the brink of clinching with a 7-5, 7-6(4) victory over Chong on six. 

Waldram got the Irish within one with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Duong on court three, but the Illini responded to close out the match. Sophomore Asuka Kawai clinched it for the Orange and Blue, defeating Spence, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2. 

Illinois Quotes

"It's kind of a monkey off our back," head coach Evan Clark said. "I feel like we were due for [a win]. Nothing was easy though. I feel like we could have done a better job closing out some matches quicker and made it a little easier on ourselves, but at the same time we snuck ourselves out and I think that is going to pay dividends down the road."

Final Results

Illinois 4, Notre Dame 3

Doubles-Order of Finish: 2, 3*

1. Belaya/Novak (Illinois) vs. Corse/Spence (ND) 5-3, unf.
2. Switkes/Duong (Illinois) def. #45 Bojczuk/Waldram (ND) 6-1
3. Kawai/Rabinowitz (Illinois) def. Chung/Taylor (ND) 6-3

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

1. Asuka Kawai (Illinois) def. Zoe Spence (ND) 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2
2. Ally Bojczuk (ND) def. Jaclyn Switkes (Illinois) 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
3. Bess Waldram (ND) def. Emilee Duong (Illinois) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
4. Cameron Corse (ND) def. Daniela Pedraza Novak (Illinois) 6-1, 6-3
5. Mia Rabinowitz (Illinois) def. Brooke Broda (ND) 6-3, 6-3
6. Sasha Belaya (Illinois) def. Rachel Chong (ND) 7-5, 7-6(4)

Records: Illinois (1-3) | Notre Dame (3-2)

Follow the Illini:
FightingIllini.com | Facebook  | Twitter | Instagram