URBANA, Ill. – Alice Xu clinched her first match of the season for Fighting Illini women's tennis on Saturday as Illinois secured a 4-1 win over No. 61 Purdue on Saturday. Action took place outdoors from the Atkins Tennis Center.
Illinois improved to 7-7 on the season and 3-1 in Big Ten play. The Illini are now 5-4 this season when playing in Atkins Tennis Center. No. 61 Purdue moved to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play with Saturday's result.
For the second time in Big Ten play and fifth time of the season, Illinois secured the doubles point to open action. The Illini switched up the doubles lineup and saw Cara Mester and Alice Xu team up while Kimiko Cooper and Ariel Madatali also worked together - both tandems secured victories in their first outings working together.
Action of both of the Illini's winning doubles courts was tied at 4-4 before the Orange and Blue duos won the final two games to get Illinois on the scoreboard first.
Mester kept things moving in favor of the Illini and was the first off the singles courts with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 6. The Illini sophomore improved to 12-4 overall this season, 6-2 in dual play and 3-1 in Big Ten matches with the win.
McKenna Schaefbauer pushed the Illinois lead to 3-0 with her 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles. The senior has now won five of her last six matches and now holds an 18-7 overall record, 9-3 dual reading, and 3-1 Big Ten mark.
Purdue got on the board with a win at No. 4 singles, pulling the score to 3-1 on the match.
At No. 5 singles, Xu clinched the Illinois victory in a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 decision. The win marked Xu's first clinch of the season as she improved to 7-4 overall, 6-2 in dual play, and 3-0 in Big Ten matches.
NEXT UP
Illinois will close out its homestand on Sunday, March 22, with a match against Indiana at 12 p.m. CT.
ILLINOIS (7-7, 3-1) 4, #61 PURDUE (6-6, 2-2) 1
Doubles:
1 - Ece Gencer/Idea Clement (PUR) def. Tess Bucher/McKenna Schaefbauer (ILL) - 6-4
2 - Cara Mester/Alice Xu (ILL) vs. Fatima Gutierrez/Kathryn Wilson (PUR) - 6-4
3 - Kimiko Cooper/Ariel Madatali (ILL) vs. Ashlie Wilson/Emmi Kolyszko (PUR) - 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles:
1 - No. 29 McKenna Schaefbauer (ILL) def. Ece Gencer (PUR) - 6-4, 6-2
2 - Kimiko Cooper (ILL) vs. Fatima Gutierrez (PUR) - 7-6 (4), 2-4, unfinished
3 - Ariel Madatali (ILL) vs. Kayal Gownder (PUR) - 5-7, 3-4, unfinished
4 - Kathryn Wilson (PUR) def. Tess Bucher (ILL) - 6-2, 7-5
5 - Alice Xu (ILL) def. Emmi Kolyszko (PUR) - 3-6, 6-0, 6-2
6 - Cara Mester (ILL) def. Ashlie Wilson (PUR) - 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 1, 4, 5
Duration: started 2:39
Attendance: 81
Played outdoors
