Illini Drop Easter Outing to Michigan State

URBANA, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's tennis continued its final homestand on Easter Sunday, suffering a 4-1 loss to Michigan State from the Atkins Tennis Center.

Illinois moved to 9-10 on the season and 5-4 in Big Ten play with the decision. No. 75 Michigan State is now 10-9 overall and 3-6 in conference matches.

Michigan State took the doubles points, claiming decisions at No. 1 and 2, respectively. Action at No. 3 doubles was even at 6-6 in the set and 8-8 in the tiebreaker before the point was clinched.

MSU pushed its lead to 2-0 with a win at No. 5 singles before No. 39 McKenna Schaefbauer's straight-set victory at No. 1 got the Illini on the board. 

Schaefbauer bested her counterpart, 7-3, in a first-set breaker but trailed 3-4 in the second set before winning the final three games to secure the victory. The Illinois senior is now 21-7 on the season, 12-3 in dual play, and 6-1 in Big Ten outings.

The Spartans would pull away from there, however. Michigan State took the next two decisions, coming at No. 6 and 2, respectively, to claim the match 4-1.

NEXT UP

Illinois continues its final homestand next weekend as No. 18 UCLA and No. 12 USC visit Atkins Tennis Center. Action vs. the Bruins is slated for April 10 at 4 p.m. while the Trojans and Illini will square off on Sunday at 12 p.m.

#54 ILLINOIS (9-10, 5-4) 1, #75 MICHIGAN STATE (10-9, 3-6) 4

Doubles:
1 - No. 43 Blackford/Morais (MSU) def. Tess Bucher/Alice Xu (ILL) - 6-2
2 - Brahmbhatt/Tsitavets (MSU) def. McKenna Schaefbauer/Ariel Madatali (ILL) - 7-6(2)
3 - Kimiko Cooper/Lizzie Isyanov (ILL) vs. Plihal/Purser (MSU) - 6-6 (8-8) unfinished

Order of finish: 1, 2

Singles: 
1 - No. 39 McKenna Schaefbauer (ILL) def. Amara Brahmbhatt (MSU) - 7-6(3), 6-4
2 - Ellie Blackford (MSU) def. Kimiko Cooper (ILL) - 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
3 - Ariel Madatali (ILL) vs. Matilde Morais (MSU) - 5-7, 6-3, 5-1, unfinished
4 - Alice Xu (ILL) vs. Hanna Tsitavets (MSU) - 6-2, 3-6, 3-5 unfinished
5 - Nina Plihal (MSU) def. Tess Bucher (ILL) - 6-4, 6-2
6 - Issey Purser (MSU) def. Cara Mester (ILL) - 1-6, 7-5, 6-3

Order of finish: 5, 1, 6, 2

Duration: 3:35
Attendance: 107
Played indoors