Box Score
URBANA, Ill. – The Fighting Illini women's tennis team lost, 4-2, to Kansas at Atkins Tennis Center on Friday afternoon. The Illini move to 4-8 on the season, while Kansas improves to 5-4.
Illinois fell behind early after Kansas captured the doubles point. Kansas duo, Sonia Smagnia and Carmen Roxana Manu, ranked 32, defeated junior Emilee Duong and freshman Josie Frazier, 6-1, at court No. 1. Junior Mia Rabinowitz and freshman Ashley Yeah downed Kansas' Maria Toran Ribes and Vasiliki, 6-1, to tie the doubles competition at one apiece at No. 3. Coming down to No. 2 doubles, Malkia Ngounoue and Julia Deming of Kansas clinched the point with a 6-3 win over junior Sasha Belaya and freshman Emily Casati.
Looking to rally back in singles action, the Illini were able to come away with the first singles point of the day. Yeah powered past the Jayhawks' Toran Ribes to a 6-2, 6-0 victory at No. 5, before Duong picked up a point of her own after downing Luniuska Delgado of Kansas, 6-2, 6-2. Kansas came back quick with two consecutive wins at courts No. 6 and No. 3. The 74th-ranked Jayhawks' Smagnia clinched the match winning 7-5, 6-3 after battling Rabinowitz at No. 1 singles.
Belaya was halted in the second set at No. 2 singles, leading opponent, Ngounoue, 6-4, 5-4.
Up Next
Illinois rounds out its weekend at Atkins Tennis Center on Sunday March 1, for a match up with Oklahoma at 11 a.m. CT.
The Orange and Blue look to fill every seat at Atkins and will be giving away free Join the Fight t-shirts and free food provided by Bob Evans.
#50 Kansas 4, Illinois 2
Doubles-Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2*
1. #32 Smagnia/Roxana Manu (Kansas) def. Duong/Frazier (Illinois) 6-1
2. Ngounoue/Deming (Kansas) def. Belaya/Casati (Illinois) 6-3
3. Rabinowitz/Yeah (Illinois) def. Toran Ribes/Karvouni (Kansas) 6-1
Singles-Order of Finish: 5, 4, 6, 3, 1*
1. #74 Smagnia (Kansas) def. Rabinowitz (Illinois) 7-5, 6-3
2. Belaya (Illinois) vs. Ngounoue (Kansas) 6-4, 5-4, unf.
3. Roxana Manu (Kansas) def. Frazier (Illinois) 7-5, 6-4
4. Duong (Illinois) def. Delgado (Kansas) 6-2, 6-2
5. Yeah (Illinois) def. Toran Ribes (Kansas) 6-2, 6-0
6. Karvouni (Kansas) def. Casati (Illinois) 6-0, 6-3
Records: Illinois (4-8) | Kansas (5-4)
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