Six Illini Advance to Day 3 of ITA Midwest Regionals

URBANA, Ill. - Six Fighting Illini student-athletes competed on Day 2 of the ITA Midwest Regional from Atkins Tennis Center. Four Illinois singles players and one doubles tandem won their way to Day 3 of the event, with six Illini still competing.

Action opened with the main draw doubles round of 64, where all four Illinois duos were victorious to advance to the round of 32. In the day's second round of doubles, [9] Alice Xu and Tess Bucher won their second match of the day to advance to Saturday's round of 16. Xu and Bucher defeated tandems from Chicago State (8-2) and Michigan State (8-4), respectively. 

Rosie Seccia and Ariel Madatali defeated their Valparaiso counterparts 8-5 before falling to [2] Pozder/Molnar from Notre Dame. Lizzie Isyanov and Risa Ueno defeated Iosio and Lowe of Illinois State 8-1 before falling to [3] Nishino/Oluwadare from Ohio State. Cara Mester and McKenna Schaefbauer claimed an 8-5 victory over Rector/Hennicaux of SIUE before falling to Horne/Yecora from NIU, 8-4.

On the singles courts, Ariel Madatali, [8] McKenna Schaefbauer, Cara Mester, and Lizzie Isyanov each earned straight-set victories to advance to Saturday's round of 32.

Illinois Day 2 Results (10/17/25)

Doubles R64
8 AM - Rosie Seccia/Ariel Madatali (Illinois) def. Popa/Baron (Valparaiso) - 8-5
8 AM - [9] Alice Xu/Tess Bucher (Illinois) def. King/Skowronska (Chicago State) - 8-2
9 AM - Lizzie Isyanov/Risa Ueno (Illinois) def. Iosio/Lowe (Illinois State) - 8-1
9 AM - [9] Cara Mester/McKenna Schaefbauer def. Rector/Hennicaux (SIUE) - 8-5

Doubles R32
10 AM - [2] Pozder/Molnar (Notre Dame) def. Rosie Seccia/Ariel Madatali (Illinois) - 8-4
10 AM - [9] Alice Xu/Tess Bucher (Illinois) def. Plihal/Blackford (Michigan State) - 8-4
11 AM - [3] Nishino/Oluwadare (Ohio State) def. Lizzie Isyanov/Risa Ueno (Illinois) - 8-0
11 AM - Horne/Yecora (NIU) def. [9] Cara Mester/McKenna Schaefbauer (Illinois) - 8-4

Singles R64
1 PM - Ariel Madatali (Illinois) def. Erica Jessel (Northwestern) - 6-3, 7-5
1 PM - Valeriia Ivanovskaia (Bradley) def. Tess Bucher (Illinois) - 6-4, 6-4
2:30 PM - [8] McKenna Schaefbauer (Illinois) def. Nina Plihal (Michigan State) - 6-0, 6-2
2:30 PM - Ekaterina Ivanova (Wisconsin) def. Alice Xu (Illinois) - 6-2, 6-3
2:30 PM - Cara Mester (Illinois) def. Mariia Pukhina (Bradley) - 6-0, 6-1
4 PM - Lizzie Isyanov (Illinois) def. Maya Bordereau (Wisconsin) - 6-4, 6-2

Illinois Day 3 Schedule (10/18/25)

Doubles - R16
9 AM - [9] Alice Xu/Tess Bucher vs. [5] Matsuno/Holod (Notre Dame) - North 5

Singles - R32
10:30 AM - Ariel Madatali vs. [9] Kaede Usui (Wisconsin) - 
10:30 AM - McKenna Schaefbauer vs. Gabriella Vanessa Lindgren (Michigan) - 
10:30 AM - Cara Mester vs. [9] Sophia Holod (Notre Dame) - 
10:30 AM - Lizzie Isyanov vs. [4] Nao Nishino (Ohio State) - 

Singles - Consolation
Next available court - Alice Xu vs. Hanna Tsitavets (Michigan State)
Next available court - Tess Bucher vs. Margaux Guibal Britt (SIUE)