MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Illinois women's tennis opened the Blue Gray Tennis Classic with a 4-1 win over Alabama on Friday. After a rain delay to open the day, doubles would not be played between the Tide and Illini. Evan Clark and company have won five-straight matches and are up to a 7-3 overall record.
After advancing in the bracket, the Illini began their second match of the weekend in the afternoon with doubles against Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons claimed the doubles point after winning a tiebreaker at No. 3. Singles play against Wake Forest will take place at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Against Alabama, Illinois won five of six first sets to get off to a quick start in the match. Kate Duong, Ashley Yeah and Kasia Treiber would all secure straight-set victories to put Illinois up 3-0.
The Crimson Tide got on the board with a win at No. 3 singles before Kida Ferrari clinched the Illini decision with a three-set win at No. 6.
Illinois' No. 1 doubles tandem of Duong and Yeah – ranked No. 31 in the latest poll – earned an upset of Wake Forest's No. 20 ranked duo by a 6-3 margin. The Deacons would take wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles to secure the opening point.
In Saturday's singles, the Illini will face a pair of ranked individuals from Wake Forest. WF's No. 39 Cassie Wooten and No. 49 Anna Brylin are the only other ranked individuals in the weekend event besides No. 102 Ashley Yeah.
After Illinois finished its match against Wake Forest, it'll close Blue Gray Classic play with its third tilt, based on the outcome of the previous result.
FULL RESULTS: ILLINOIS 4, ALABAMA 1
Doubles: Not Played
No. 1 – No. 24 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser vs. Sedlackova/Parkhomenko (Alabama)
No. 2 – Josie Frazier/Emily Casati vs. Hiser/Bencheikh (Alabama)
No. 3 – Ashley Yeah/Violeta Martinez vs. K. Pitak/O. Pitak (Alabama)
Singles:
No. 1 – Kate Duong def. Bencheikh (Alabama) – 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 – No. 102 Ashley Yeah def. Sedlackova (Alabama) – 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 – O. Pitak (Alabama) def. Megan Heuser – 6-4, 7-6 (6)
No. 4 – Josie Frazier vs. Parkhomenko (Alabama) – 6-2, 5-7, 2-5, unfinished
No. 5 – Kasia Treiber def. Milicevic (Alabama) – 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 – Kida Ferrari vs. Hiser (Alabama) – 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2
Order of Finish:
Doubles: Not played
Singles: 2, 5, 1, 3, 6
RESULTS: Â WAKE FOREST 1, ILLINOIS 0
Doubles:
No. 1 – No. 31 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser def. No. 20 Brylin/Killingsworth (WF) – 6-3
No. 2 – Ahmad/Wooten (WF) def. Josie Frazier/Emily Casati – 6-4
No. 3 – Carton/Pate (WF) def. Ashley Yeah/Violeta Martinez – 7-6 (7)
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1, 2, 3
Singles: To be played Saturday
