Box Score
MINNEAPOLIS – Fighting Illini women's tennis opened its Big Ten campaign with a 4-3 victory at No. 60 Minnesota. After winning the doubles point, Illinois claimed singles victories at No. 6, 5, and 2, respectively.
Illinois improves to 6-6 on the season and 1-0 in Big Ten play. Minnesota moves to 8-7 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten action.
The Fighting Illini won their third straight doubles point and seventh of the season. McKenna Schaefbauer and Kasia Treiber were the first off the doubles courts after claiming a 6-2 victory at No. 3 doubles. The tandem trailed 0-1 and was then tied 2-2 before running off four-straight games for the final tally.
In a race to the finish, Megan Heuser and Kida Ferrari would ultimately clinch the doubles point for the Orange and Blue with a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles. The duo trailed 2-3 before winning the final four games for the 6-4 decision.
On the singles courts, Treiber pushed Illinois' lead to 2-0 with a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 6 singles. Minnesota followed with wins at No. 3 and No. 4 singles to even the match at 2-2.
Freshman Ariel Madatali closed out a 6-2, 6-2 win at No 5 singles to put Illinois back in the lead over the Gophers, 3-2.
Minnesota would once again tie the score after winning a second set tiebreaker at No. 1 singles. With the match knotted at 3-3, all eyes turned to No. 2 singles.
Heuser won her first set at No. 2 singles 6-4 before being on the opposite side of that margin in set two. In the third frame, the senior left no doubt, claiming a 6-1 decision to clinch the Big Ten-opening win for the Fighting Illini. The win marked Heuser's second clinch of the season
FINAL SCORE: NO. 45 ILLINOIS (6-6; 1-0 B1G) 4, #60 MINNESOTA (8-7, 0-2 B1G) 3
Doubles
No. 1 – Megan Heuser/Kida Ferrari def. Kocevar/Liepert (MINN) - 6-4
No. 2 – Alice Xu/Violeta Martinez vs. Ante/Pinto (MINN) - 5-4, unfinished
No. 3 – McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber def. Schmitz/Valitova (MINN) - 6-2
Singles
No. 1 – Aiva Schmitz (MINN) def. McKenna Schaefbauer - 6-4, 7-6(4)
No. 2 – Megan Heuser def. Mia Liepert (MINN) - 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
No. 3 – Anali Kocevar (MINN) def. No. 114 Violeta Martinez - 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 – Anlin Xie (MINN) def. Kida Ferrari - 2-6, 4-2, abandoned
No. 5 – Ariel Madatali def. Sofia Pinto (MINN) - 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 – Kasia Treiber def. Deniz Turan (MINN) - 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish
Doubles: 3, 1
Singles: 6, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2
Duration: 3:11
Played indoors
NEXT UP
The Fighting Illini women's tennis team heads to Wisconsin for a match with the Badgers on Sunday, March 9, at 12 PM.
