URBANA, Ill. – Illinois women's tennis climbed to 5-3 on the 2023 campaign with a 4-2 win over Marshall on Saturday from Atkins Tennis Center. The Fighting Illini saw four athletes to pick up victories on the singles courts to secure the win.
Illinois' top doubles tandem of No. 24 Kate Duong and Megan Heuser was the first off the courts after locking up a 6-2 win. Marshall would pull off 6-4 wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles to ultimately claim the opening point.
Kasia Treiber evened the match at 1-1 with a straight-set 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 4 singles. Treiber and Marshall's Andjela Lopicic were tied at 2-2 in the first set before the Illini sophomore turned out 10-straight games to win the match.
Marshall took a 2-1 lead following a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 2 singles but Illinois would take the next three decisions to secure a 4-2 victory.
Kida Ferrari won 7-6 (5), 6-4 at No. 5 singles to even the match at 2-2. Ferrari was down 4-1 in the opening set before coming back to win the tiebreaker.
Down on court 6, Violeta Martinez wrapped up a three-set comeback victory for the 3-1 Illini lead. After dropping the first set, the rookie was even at 3-3 before winning the last three games of set two to force a third. Martinez would finish with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory.
All eyes turned to court No. 1 where Duong secured a three-set win of her own to clinch the match. The senior dropped a first-set tiebreaker before firing back with a 6-1 second-set victory. Duong claimed the final frame, 7-5.
Across Illinois' four singles victories, two came by straight sets (Treiber, Ferrari) and two came after dropping the first set (Duong, Martinez).
Heuser's match at No. 3 singles was just beginning the third set when Duong clinched and would go unfinished.
With a quick turnaround, the Fighting Illini (5-3) and Nittany Lions (6-3) will square off at noon from Atkins Tennis Center on Sunday.
FULL RESULTS
Doubles:
No. 1 – No. 24 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser def. Vanderheyden/Strom (MAR) – 6-2
No. 2 – McGrane/Hurrion (MAR) def. Josie Frazier/Emily Casati – 6-4
No. 3 – Gillar/Clairotte (MAR) def. Ashley Yeah/Violeta Martinez – 6-4
Singles:
No. 1 – Kate Duong def. Vanderheyden (MAR) – 6-7 (3), 6-1, 7-5
No. 2 –Strom (MAR) def. No. 72 Ashley Yeah – 6-4, 6-0
No. 3 – Megan Heuser vs. Joksovic (MAR) – 6-7 (6), 7-5, 0-0 unfinished
No. 4 – Kasia Treiber def. Lopicic (MAR) – 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 – Kida Ferrari def. McGrane (MAR) – 7-6 (5), 6-4
No. 6 – Violeta Martinez def. Hurrion (MAR) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1, 3, 2
Singles: 4, 2, 5, 6, 1
