URBANA, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's tennis won its fourth-straight match with Sunday's 4-0 sweep of Penn State to open Big Ten play. Illinois climbed to 6-3 on the dual season and 1-0 in league action with the victory.
"I was so pleased with how our group handled the match today," began head coach Evan Clark. "We talked about taking control early and leaving no doubt today and that's what they did. Our kids continue to do so many things well and I'm so pleased with where we are sit at this point of the year. We are nine matches in and I feel like we have set ourselves up for success for the next portion of our schedule."
Illinois won the doubles point after the duos of Josie Frazier/Emily Casati and Ashley Yeah/Violeta Martinez turned in wins at doubles No. 2 and 3, respectively. Yeah and Martinez were the first to finish, earning a 6-4 victory. Frazier and Casati secured the match's opening point at No. 2, earning a 7-5 win. The top court would go unfinished.
In singles action, the Illini kept things rolling, winning five of six first sets. Frazier dispatched her counterpart with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 4 to put Illinois up 2-0. No. 72 Ashley Yeah was the next off, earning a 6-4, 6-3 win. Kida Ferrari would clinch the 4-0 Illini sweep with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles.
With the singles victory, Yeah is up to a 10-4 overall record on the season. She's the first Illini to reach double-digit singles wins this campaign.
Following the Penn State match, all eight of Illinois' athletes have won their most recently completed singles outing.
After three-straight matches at home, the Illini will hit the road for their next seven tilts. Up next is the Blue Gray national Tennis Classic, hosted in Montgomery, Alabama, Feb. 24-25.
"We are excited to face some stiff competition at the Blue Gray Invite next week," closed Clark.
FULL RESULTS
Doubles:
No. 1 – No. 24 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser vs. Chekhlystova/Girbau (PSU) – 5-6, unfinished
No. 2 –Josie Frazier/Emily Casati def. Nielsen/Gheorghita (PSU) – 7-5
No. 3 –Ashley Yeah/Violeta Martinez def. Friedland/Dorner (PSU) – 6-4
Singles:
No. 1 – Kate Duong vs. Chekhlystova (PSU) – 7-5, 5-4, unfinished
No. 2 – No. 72 Ashley Yeah def. Zuffova (PSU) – 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 – Megan Heuser vs. Gheorghita (PSU) – 6-1, 4-6, unfinished
No. 4 – Josie Frazier def. Dorner (PSU) – 6-2, 6-1
No. 5 – Kasia Treiber vs. Girbau (PSU) – 4-6, 4-3 unfinished
No. 6 – Kida Ferrari def. Friedland (PSU) – 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 3, 2
Singles: 4, 2, 6
