WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 34 Illinois women's tennis won its 10th-straight match against Purdue with Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Boilermakers from West Lafayette, Indiana. The Orange and Blue improved to 11-5 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play with the victory. Illinois is out to a 3-0 start to league play for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign.
With the win, Illinois improved to 3-3 on the year against ranked teams and closed its four-match road swing with a 3-1 record.
The Illini doubles duo of Kate Duong and Megan Heuser won their 10th-straight match while climbing to 19-3 on the season and 11-1 in dual play. No. 28-ranked Duong and Heuser went up 2-0 at No. 1 before Purdue's tandem won a game but the Illini rattled off four-straight games to secure the 6-1 victory.
No. 3 doubles saw Kida Ferrari and Violeta Martinez teamed up for the first time of the season for the Illini. The duo would trail out to a 2-3 score before winning three-straight games for a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish en route to clinching the doubles point with a 6-4 win.
While Josie Frazier and Emily Casati would go unfinished at No. 2 doubles, after trailing 5-0, they had battled back within a game at 5-4.
Purdue evened the match with the first singles win of the day, which came at No. 2 as Ashley Yeah fell 6-1, 6-2.
Kasia Treiber was the next off the courts after earning a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win at No. 5 singles. Treiber's lone lead of the first set did not come until she won the tiebreaker. She would trail 2-1 in the second set before rattling off five-straight games to win set two 6-2 for the straight-set victory and 2-1 Illinois lead. Treiber is up to a 12-10 overall record, which includes a 2-0 mark in Big Ten play.
Frazier got out to a quick 5-0 lead in her opening set at No. 4 singles. She won the first frame 6-2 and grinded out a 6-4 second-set win after trailing 4-3. Frazier's win put Illinois up 3-1 in the match and gives her a 3-0 mark in league play on the year.
Duong clinched the match for the Fighting Illini at No. 1. After falling 6-4 in the opening set, Duong won her next two 6-2 and 6-3, respectively. She's up to 11-8 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Heuser and Ferrari would both go unfinished after forcing third sets.
After six weeks without a home match, the Fighting Illini will return to Atkins Tennis Center for a two-match weekend on March 31 and April 2 when Michigan State and Michigan come to town. The Orange and Blue's matchup against the Spartans will also fall on National Crayon Day, so in honor of the occasion, the Illini will be hosting a Color the Court. Tennis-themed coloring pages will be handed out to fans. UI's matchup against Michigan will be the squad's annual Pack Atkins event. The match will feature free tennis balls, popper toys, and a kid's clinic following the match. Tennis-themed patches will also be available for scouts.
RESULTS:Â NO. 34 ILLINOIS 4, NO. 44 PURDUE 1
Doubles:
No. 1 – No. 28 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser def. Fodor/Norman (Purdue) – 6-1
No. 2 – Josie Frazier/Emily Casati vs. Milic/Gallardo Guevara (Purdue) – 4-5, unfinished
No. 3 – Kida Ferrari/Violeta Martinez def. Larranaga/Gibbs (Purdue) – 6-4
Singles:
No. 1 – Kate Duong def. Liz Norman (Purdue) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 – Csilla Fodor (Purdue) def. No. 121 Ashley Yeah – 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 – Megan Heuser vs. Carmen Gallardo Guevara (Purdue) – 4-6, 6-4, 2-3, unfinished
No. 4 – Josie Frazier def. Tara Katarina Milic (Purdue) – 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 – Kasia Treiber def. Kennedy Gibbs (Purdue) – 7-6 (5), 6-2
No. 6 – Kida Ferrari vs. Juana Larranaga (Purdue) – 3-6, 6-1, 2-5, unfinished
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1, 3
Singles: 2, 5, 4, 1
Length: 2:54
