URBANA, Ill. – Following an upset win on the doubles courts, Fighting Illini women's tennis suffered a 4-1 loss to No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday from the Atkins Tennis Center. Illinois seniors Kida Ferrari, Megan Heuser, and Kasia Treiber were honored in a prematch ceremony.
No. 51 Illinois moved to 10-11 on the season and 5-5 in Big Ten action. The Buckeyes are now 15-2 overall and 9-1 in Big Ten play. Illinois has faced eight top-25 ranked teams this season.
The Illini claimed their 13th doubles point of the season, striking first against the Buckeyes. Illinois has won the opening tally seven times in Big Ten play. The Illini handed OSU just their fourth doubles loss of the season and were just the second Big Ten squad to secure the opening point over the Buckeyes (No. 14 USC).
With all three doubles courts tied at 3-3, No. 2 doubles would be the first to finish as Violeta Martinez and Alice Xu won the last three games for a 6-3 victory. The Illini duo is up to an 11-5 record on the season and 6-3 in Big Ten play.
Ohio State would follow with the 6-4 decision at No. 3 doubles before all eyes turned to the top court. Megan Heuser and Kida Ferrari flipped the match with breaks to go up 3-2 and 4-3. The senior combo pushed the advantage to 5-3 before winning 6-4 over the No. 10-ranked Ohio State duo. Heuser and Ferrari are now 4-4 in league play, all at No. 1 doubles.
The Buckeyes took the lead with singles wins at No. 6 and No. 1, respectively, and then closed out the match with victories at No. 3 and 2.
FINAL SCORE: NO. 51 ILLINOIS (10-10, 5-4 B1G) 1, #11 OHIO STATE (14-2, 8-1 B1G) 4
Doubles
No. 1 – Megan Heuser/Kida Ferrari def. No. 10 Chavez/Perry (OSU) - 6-4
No. 2 – Alice Xu/Violeta Martinez def. Cisse/Ratliff (OSU) - 6-3
No. 3 – Spencer/Nishino (OSU) def. McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber - 6-4
Singles
No. 1 – No. 37 Teah Chavez (OSU) def. McKenna Schaefbauer - 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 – No. 9 Luciana Perry (OSU) def. Megan Heuser - 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
No. 3 – Violeta Martinez vs. No. 85 Sydni Ratliff (OSU) - 0-6, 7-5, 4-4, unfinished
No. 4 – Nao Nishino (OSU) def. Kida Ferrari - 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
No. 5 – Ariel Madatali vs. No. 119 Shelly Bereznyak (OSU) - 6-1, 5-7, 2-2, unfinished
No. 6 – No. 102 Audrey Spencer (OSU) def. Kasia Treiber - 6-4, 6-3
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 3, 1
Singles: 6, 1, 4, 2
Duration: 3:04
Attendance: 169
Played indoors
NEXT UP
Next weekend, the Fighting Illini head to Evanston to face Northwestern. Action is set for Saturday, April 12, at 12 p.m. CT.
