LINCOLN, Neb. - Fighting Illini women's tennis opened Big Ten play at Nebraska Friday night with a sweep of the Huskers. McKenna Schaefbauer clinched her third match of the season and second-straight win for the Orange and Blue.
Illinois improved to 5-6 on the season with back-to-back wins. The Fighting Illini are now 1-0 in Big Ten play. Nebraska moved to 7-3 on the campaign and 0-1 in league play.
In doubles play, Nebraska picked up a win at No. 3 before the Illini claimed decisions on the remaining two courts to secure the match's opening point. No. 84 Tess Bucher and Alice Xu were next off the courts after securing a 6-4 win. The top Illini tandem improved to 11-7 on the season, 2-4 in dual play, and 1-0 in Big Ten action. Ariel Madatali and Cara Mester would clinch the doubles point with a 7-4 win in the breaker and No. 2 doubles. Madatali and Mester climbed to 5-3 when working together with the victory. Madatali now owns a 10-8 overall, 6-3 dual, and 1-0 B1G record while Mester is up to 12-6/6-3/1-0 this season across the same categories in doubles action.
Illinois has now won the doubles point in four outings this season.
Back in the singles lineup, Tess Bucher was the first off the singles courts with a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 4 singles. Bucher now owns a 4-7Â overall record on the season, which includes a 3-4 reading in dual play, and 1-0 mark in Big Ten action.Â
Mester was next off the courts, pushing Illinois' lead to 3-0 with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 win at No. 6. With the win, she now owns double digit victories, holding a 10-3 overall record, 4-1 mark in dual play, and 1-0 reading in Big Ten matches.
After dropping the opening set, No. 34-ranked Schaefbauer secured the match with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 line. Schaefbauer is now 16-6 on the season 7-2 in dual play, and 1-0 in Big Ten action.
Illinois continues its road trip with a match on Sunday at No. 35 Iowa. Action from Iowa City is slated for 12 p.m. CT.
