The Illinois State womens tennis team dropped its first match of the spring season, 7-0 to No. 33 Illinois, to even its dual match record at 1-1.
At No. 1 doubles,
Liina Suurvarik and
Alesia Mikalayeva jumped to an early lead and never looked back to win their match against Michelle Webb and Eldina Fazlic, 8-3.
"They really put it to us today," Redbird head coach
Chris Hoover said. "We had the opportunity to take the momentum with the doubles point, but we let it slip away. Not saying that the doubles point would mean that wed win, but it could have made a difference in the tie-breakers."
Freshman
Elizabeth Bingier won her first set 6-4 at No. 4 over Tiffany Eklov, but Eklov stormed back to take the second set 6-2 and the third 10-4.
Alana Hoffman also took her match to three sets at No. 6 against Michelle Webb with Webb coming out on top, 4-6, 6-2, 10-5.
"I was pleased with the play of our doubles today," Hoover said. "We got beat by a good team, and everyone knows that they are a good team."
"It was the first match of the spring and everyone was a little nervous," Illinois head coach Sujay Lama said. "ISU fired it up at doubles and deserved the win at No. 1. Its exciting to get in-state rivalries going, and I think with a team like ISU, it will become a tradition. They are a very good team that will give a lot of fits to a lot of good teams."
Senior Brigette Zarazee saw her 11-match winning-streak come to a halt as she was defeated by the Illinis Eva Choe at No. 5.
The Redbirds return to action next when they begin a three-match road swing, starting at Notre Dame on Sunday.
Illinois 7 Illinois State 0
January 27, 2001 Atkins Tennis Center
Singles
1. Eldina Fazlic (UI) def. Liina Suurvarik (ISU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Jenny McGaffigan (UI) def. Alesia Mikalayeva (ISU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Simone Kung (UI) def.
Zana Friganovic (ISU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Tiffany Eklov (UI) def. Elizabeth Bingier (ISU) 4-6, 6-2, 10-4
5. Eva Choe (UI) def. Brigette Zarazee (ISU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Michelle Webb (UI) def. Alana Hoffman (ISU) 4-6, 6-2, 10-5
Doubles
1. Suurvarik/Mikalayeva (ISU) def. Webb/Fazlic (UI) 8-3
2. Choe/McGaffigan (UI) def. Bingier/Hoffman (ISU) 8-3
3. Eklov/Kung (UI) def. Friganovic/Zarazee (ISU) 8-5
