URBANA, Ill. – Illinois closed its home slate with a dominant 4-0 sweep against Penn State on Saturday night at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex.
Celebrating Mathis Debru and Gabrielius Guzauskas on Senior Night, the Fighting Illini snapped a three-match skid and improved to 13-9 overall and 6-5 in conference play. The Nittany Lions remained winless against Big Ten opponents, falling to 12-13 overall and 0-11 in league action.
The Illini secured the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and 3. Teaming up for the first time in Big Ten play this season, Kenta Miyoshi and Mathis Debru were the first to finish with a victory at No. 1 doubles. The Orange and Blue duo broke in the second and sixth games en route to a 6-1 decision over Penn State's Charl Morgan and Marcus Schoeman.
Max Mroz and Jeremy Zhang registered a 6-3 triumph on Court 3 over Shrikeshav Murugesan and Denys Forgaci to give Illinois a 1-0 lead in the match. The Illini tandem broke twice within the first three games before extending that edge to 4-0. After getting broken and seeing their lead reduced to 4-3, Mroz and Zhang won the next two games to post a 6-3 decision.
Debru extended the Illinois advantage with a dominant straight-set decision at No. 5 singles against Nolan Ranger. The Illini senior jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening frame behind breaks in the second and fourth games, ultimately closing out the set by a 6-1 scoreline. Two breaks within the first four games of the second set gave Debru a commanding 4-0 advantage, and he used another break in the seventh game to complete a 6-1, 6-1 triumph.
Miyoshi was the next to finish with a two-set victory on the top singles court over Penn State's Charl Morgan. A break in the fourth game proved to be the difference in the opening frame, with Miyoshi taking a 6-3 first-set decision. Breaking in the fifth game of the next set, Miyoshi broke again in the ninth game to round out his 6-3, 6-3 victory and improve to 6-2 in Big Ten play.
Mroz recorded his first-career clinch with his 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 6 singles against Denys Forgaci. With the first frame tied at 1-1, Mroz claimed the next five games, breaking in the fourth and sixth games. Knotted at 4-4 in the second set, Mroz broke in the ninth game before holding serve in the 10th to clinch the Illini victory.
Results: No. 27 Illinois 4, Penn State 0
Doubles
No. 1: Kenta Miyoshi/Mathis Debru (Illinois) def. Charl Morgan/Marcus Schoeman (Penn State), 6-1
No. 2: Zach Viiala/Tyler Bowers (Illinois) vs. Sam Bossem/Nolan Ranger (Penn State), 4-3, unfinished
No. 3: Max Mroz/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Shrikeshav Murugesan/Denys Forgaci (Penn State), 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 3
Singles
No. 1: No. 16 Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) def. Charl Morgan (Penn State), 6-3, 6-3
No. 2: Tyler Bowers (Illinois) vs. Sam Bossem (Penn State), 6-2, 3-4, unfinished
No. 3: Zach Viiala (Illinois) vs. Marcus Schoeman (Penn State), 6-2, 3-1, unfinished
No. 4: Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) vs. Shrikeshav Murugesan (Penn State), 2-6, 1-3, unfinished
No. 5: Mathis Debru (Illinois) def. Nolan Ranger (Penn State), 6-1, 6-1
No. 6: Max Mroz (Illinois) def. Denys Forgaci (Penn State), 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 5, 1, 6
Next Up
Illinois wraps up the regular season on the West Coast with road duals against conference newcomers Oregon and Washington. The Illini are set to face the Ducks on Friday at 5 p.m. CT before playing the Huskies on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in their regular-season finale.
