HOLLAND, Mich. – Illinois finished its time at the Hope College RSM Invite on Saturday with eight total singles victories. Freshman Adam Jilly and junior Jeremy Zhang both went 3-0 on the singles courts, while freshman Sasha Colleu posted a 2-1 record, with his only defeat coming in three sets.
"We are competing and showing some fight in the Fighting Illini," said head coach Brad Dancer. "Jeremy made big progress in how he's using his serve. Adam and Sasha improved with each doubles match, but it's time to grow out of being a freshman on the doubles court. Most importantly, we are competing. Now, the coaches need to give better tactics and the guys need to execute them."
The Illini fell in their first doubles matches of the day on Friday, though they bounced back by winning all three singles contests. Jilly earned a straight-set triumph, 6-3, 6-4, against Notre Dame's Giuseppe Cerasuolo before Colleu collected a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory over Evan Lee of Notre Dame. Zhang followed it up with a win of his own, which came in a three-set triumph over Michigan's Mert Oral, 6-4, 2-6, 11-9.
Though Jilly and Colleu dropped their second doubles match of the afternoon, Zhang secured a 6-4 decision over Purdue's Nikola Jovic/Mujtaba Ali-Khan while competing in doubles with DePaul's Pablo Torres Almeida.
On Saturday, the Orange and Blue continued their strong singles weekend with three more wins to begin the second day of competition. Jilly claimed a 6-4, 6-2 decision versus DePaul's Alejandro Gandini before Colleu logged a 7-6(1), 6-3 win over Blue Demon sophomore Sebastian Medica. Zhang then notched his second singles victory over a Big Ten opponent with a 6-4, 7-6(3) triumph over Purdue's Nikola Jovic.
After dropping their doubles matches, the Illini bounced back in singles once again. Jilly posted the first Orange and Blue victory of the day with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Michigan's Bjorn Swenson before Zhang continued his winning ways against conference opposition. The Australia native remained perfect with his 6-3, 6-2 decision against David Saye of Michigan State. Colleu concluded Illinois' day with a three-set defeat to Michigan's Nicholas Steiglehner.
RESULTS
Friday, Oct. 3
Giuseppe Cerasuolo/Evan Lee (Notre Dame) def. Adam Jilly/Sasha Colleu (Illinois), 6-4
Mert Oral/Arnav Bhandari (Michigan) def. Jeremy Zhang (Illinois)/Pablo Torres Almeida (DePaul), 7-6(3)
Adam Jilly (Illinois) def. Giuseppe Cerasuolo (Notre Dame), 6-3, 6-4
Sasha Colleu (Illinois) def. Evan Lee (Notre Dame), 6-1, 6-0
Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Mert Oral (Michigan), 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (11-9)
Alejandro Gandini/Sebastian Medica (DePaul) def. Adam Jilly/Sasha Colleu (Illinois), 7-5
Jeremy Zhang (Illinois)/Pablo Torres Almeida (DePaul) def. Nikola Jovic/Mujtaba Ali-Khan (Purdue), 6-4
Saturday, Oct. 4
Adam Jilly (Illinois) def. Alejandro Gandini (DePaul), 6-4, 6-2
Sasha Colleu (Illinois) def. Sebastian Medica (DePaul), 7-6(1), 6-3
Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Nikola Jovic (Purdue), 6-4, 7-6(3)
Bjorn Swenson/Nicholas Steiglehner (Michigan) def. Adam Jilly/Sasha Colleu (Illinois), 6-4
David Saye/Mitchell Sheldon (Michigan State) def. Jeremy Zhang (Illinois)/Pablo Torres Almeida (DePaul), 6-1
Adam Jilly (Illinois) def. Bjorn Swenson (Michigan), 6-4, 6-2
Nicholas Steiglehner (Michigan) def. Sasha Colleu (Illinois), 4-6, 7-6(5), 1-0 (10-7)
Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. David Saye (Michigan State), 6-3, 6-2
