Box Score 

LINCOLN, Neb. - The Illinois women's tennis team came up short to No. 17 Michigan, 4-1, in the Big Ten Tournament title match on Sunday afternoon at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center. The second-place tournament finish is the best since 2001 for the Illini. 

Illinois got off to a fast start to that match, taking the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. The pair of Asuka Kawai and Mia Rabinowitz took care of Jones/Patiuk, 6-1, before Jaclyn Switkes and Sasha Belaya secured a 6-2 victory over Pairone/Craciun. 

Michigan came back strong in singles action and took first set wins on five of six courts. No. 82 Giulia Pairone got the Wolverines their first point of the day with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Rabinowitz on court two and third-ranked Kate Fahey followed by claiming a 6-1, 6-2 win over No. 44 Kawai at the No. 1 position. 

No. 48 Brienne Minor put Michigan within one of clinching with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Belaya and Alyvia Jones secured the Wolverine victory, taking down Duong 6-0, 6-4 on court five.

The Illini will now wait for Monday evening when the NCAA announces the selections to the 2019 NCAA tournament field. The selection show will be streamed live on NCAA.com at 5:30 p.m. CT.  

Notes

• Illinois earns its best finish at the B1G Tournament since 2001
• The Illini are now 22-24 in the B1G Tournament since the format was changed to single elimination in 1996
• Illinois is 10-2 in its last 12 matches
• The Orange and Blue have secured 19 doubles points on the season 

Final Results 

#17 Michigan 4, Illinois 1

Doubles-Order of Finish: 3, 2*

1. Duong/Novak (Illinois) vs. #32 Fahey/Minor (Michigan) 4-2, unf.
2. Switkes/Belaya (Illinois) def.  Pairone/Craciun (Michigan) 6-2
3. Kawai/Rabinowitz (Illinois) def. Jones/Patiuk (Michigan) 6-1

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

1. #3 Kate Fahey (Michigan) def. #44 Asuka Kawai (Illinois) 6-1, 6-2
2. #82 Giulia Pairone (Michigan) def. Mia Rabinowitz (Illinois) 6-2, 6-0
3. #48 Brienne Minor (Michigan) def. Sasha Belaya (Illinois) 6-1, 6-4
4. Jaclyn Switkes (Illinois) vs. #49 Chiara Lommer (Michigan) 7-5, unf.
5. Alyvia Jones (Michigan) def. Emilee Duong (Illinois) 6-0, 6-4
6. Anca Craciun (Michigan) vs. Daniela Pedraza Novak (Illinois) 6-2, 3-5, unf.

Records: Illinois (16-11) | #17 Michigan (18-5)

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