URBANA, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's tennis closed out its nonconference schedule with a doubleheader sweep from Atkins Tennis Center on Saturday. Rosie Seccia earned her first career clinch in Illinois' 7-0 win over Western Michigan. Ariel Madatali would clinch the Orange and Blue's 4-0 sweep of Chicago State.
Illinois climbs to 5-6 on the season and 5-5 at home this season as the squad continues to work through its gauntlet of a schedule. The Fighting Illini's first nine matches of the season have all been against Power 4 opponents, with four of those squads being ranked in the top 25.
MATCH 1
Illinois opened the day by winning the doubles point over Western Michigan with wins on the top courts and cruised to a 6-0 victory. No. 67 Alice Xu and Violeta Martinez were the first off the courts with a 6-1 victory at No. 2 doubles before Megan Heuser and Kida Ferrari clinched the opening point with a 6-2 decision.
Fighting Illini freshman Ariel Madatali was the first off the singles courts following a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles. Heuser followed suit at No. 2 singles, winning 6-2, 6-2 after trailing 1-2 in the second set.
With Illinois leading the Broncos, 3-0, Rosie Seccia won her first match of the dual season in straight sets of 6-1, 6-3 to earn the first clinch of her career.
Playing out the match, Schaefbauer was the next off the courts, winning 6-1, 6-4 at No. 1 singles. Ferrari followed with a hard fought 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 4 that saw the senior battle back from down 1-4. Ferrari's victory put Illinois ahead 6-0 before Martinez used a third-set superbreaker to secure the clean sweep. At No. 3 singles, Martinez won 7-5, 6-7(2), 1-0 (10-3).
FINAL SCORE: NO. 47 ILLINOIS (4-6) 7, WESTERN MICHIGAN (7-5) 0
Doubles
No. 1 – Megan Heuser/Kida Ferrari def. Glantz/Smitek (WMU) - 6-2Â
No. 2 – No. 67 Alice Xu/Violeta Martinez def. Baudouin/Gouws (WMU) - 6-1
No. 3 – McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber vs. Wijerman/Khotko (WMU) - 5-3, unfinished
Singles
No. 1 – McKenna Schaefbauer def. Lolo Glantz (WMU) - 6-1, 6-4Â
No. 2 – Megan Heuser def. Christine Gouws (WMU) - 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 – No. 112 Violeta Martinez def. Polina Khotko (WMU) - 7-5, 6-7(2) | 1-0 (10-3)
No. 4 – Kida Ferrari def. Frida Weijerman (WMU) - 6-4, 6-1
No. 5 – Ariel Madatali def. Marylou Baudouin (WMU) - 6-0, 6-1
No. 6 – Rosie Seccia def. Julia Frazier (WMU) - 6-1, 6-3
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 1
Singles: 5, 2, 6, 1, 4, 3
Duration: 2:41
Attendance: 47
Played indoors
MATCH 2
Saturday's second match saw the Fighting Illini earn a win in less than an hour. Chicago State forfeited action at No. 3 doubles before the tandem of Schaefbauer and Treiber earned a quick 6-0 win at No. 2 doubles to clinch the match's opening point.
Action concluded at No. 6 singles first, as Seccia went up 3-0 in the opening frame and her opponent retired. The Illini sophomore is now 2-0 on the dual season with Saturday's victories.
Treiber was the next Illini to earn a victory, as she won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles to put Illinois up 3-0 in the match.
Madatali would clinch the Fighting Illini victory moments later with a 6-0, 6-0 straight-set decision of her own. She now owns a team-best 12 overall wins this season.
FINAL SCORE: NO. 47 ILLINOIS (5-6) 4, CHICAGO STATE (0-2) 0
Doubles
No. 1 – Megan Heuser/Kida Ferrari vs. King/Hughes - 4-1, unfinished
No. 2 – McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber vs. Morille/Babcock - 6-0
No. 3 – Rosie Seccia/Ariel Madatali vs. Riisnaes/B Sanchez - ILL win by default
Singles
No. 1 – Megan Heuser vs. Mackenzie King (CSU) - 6-0, 1-0 unfinished
No. 2 – No. 112 Violeta Martinez vs. Danina Hughes (CSU) - 6-0, unfinished
No. 3 – Kida Ferrari vs. Nadjema Morille (CSU) - 6-1, 3-0, unfinished
No. 4 – Ariel Madatali vs. Trinity Babcock (CSU) - 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 – Kasia Treiber vs. Karoline Riisnaes (CSU) - 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 – Rosie Seccia vs. Brianna Sanchez (CSU) - 3-0, win by retirement
Order of Finish
Doubles: 3, 2
Singles: 6, 5, 4
Duration: started 1:15Â
Attendance: 39
Played indoors
NEXT UP
The Fighting Illini women's tennis team opens Big Ten play on the road next weekend. Illinois will visit Minnesota on Friday, March 7, before heading to Wisconsin for a match with the Badgers on Sunday, March 9.
