URBANA, Ill. – Illinois opened the 2025 ITA Indoor Team Championships hosted at the Atkins Tennis Center with a tough 4-0 loss to top-seeded Texas A&M. Despite being in the consolation draw, the Fighting Illini will continue action with matches on Saturday and Sunday.
Illinois moves to 2-3 on the season and 2-2 at home this season as the squad continues to work through its gauntlet of a schedule. The Fighting Illini are in the midst of a nine-match stretch against Power 4 opponents, not shying away from the toughest out of conference competition.
Texas A&M won the doubles point with play going unfinished at No. 3 doubles. Action at No. 2 saw the Aggies win 6-2, followed by a 6-3 victory on the top doubles court.
Turning to the singles courts, Violeta Martinez and Kida Ferrari each won their first set over nationally-ranked opposition and would go unfinished at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. After dropping her first set at No. 5 singles, Ariel Madatali claimed set two over her ranked counterpart to force a third set and go unfinished.
The defending team outdoor national champions, No. 2-ranked Texas A&M would earn victories at No. 6, 1, and 2, respectively, to claim the 4-0 decision over Illinois.
FINAL SCORE: [1] NO. 2 TEXAS A&M (6-0) 4, ILLINOIS (2-3) 0
Doubles
No. 1 – Stoiana/Perez (TAMU) def. No. 61 Megan Heuser/Kida Ferrari - 6-3
No. 2 – Kupres/Smetannikov (TAMU) def. McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber - 6-2
No. 3 – Alice Xu/Violeta Martinez vs. Mireles/Khirin (TAMU) - 5-5, unfinished
Singles
No. 1 – No. 3 Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. McKenna Schaefbauer - 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 – No. 12 Nicole Khirin (TAMU) def. Megan Heuser - 6-3, 7-5
No. 3 – Violeta Martinez vs. No. 101 Mia Kupres (TAMU) - 6-4, 3-5, unfinished
No. 4 – Kida Ferrari vs. No. 41 Lucciana Perez (TAMU) - 6-1, 2-6, 1-2, unfinishedÂ
No. 5 – Ariel Madatali vs. No. 125 Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) - 1-6, 6-3, unfinished
No. 6 – Lexington Reed (TAMU) def. Kasia Treiber - 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 1
Singles: 6, 1, 2
Duration: 2:05
Attendance: 262
Played indoors
NEXT UP
The Fighting Illini will continue hosting the ITA National Indoor Team Championships from Feb. 7-9, with Northwestern also hosting from Feb. 7-11. On Saturday the Orange and Blue are set to face [4] No. 3 Oklahoma State at 6:30 p.m. CT. Illinois is guaranteed three matches in the event and will co-host with Northwestern again in 2026.
