March 6, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State women's tennis team begins a six-match road trip on Wednesday, as it travels to face intrastate foe Illinois in Champaign, Ill. The match between the Redbirds and the Fighting Illini is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at the Atkins Tennis Center.
The Redbirds, who fell in their last outing on Sunday to DePaul, enter the match with a 4-3 overall record, while the Illini own a 2-6, 0-1 Big 10 mark.
"This is a big match for us since we need to rebound from a disappointing loss," head coach Chris Hoover said. "We have the talent to pull off the victory. We need to have our veterans step up and lead our younger players."
Three of the veterans Hoover will be relying on are seniors Katri Miller and Matea Simovic, as well as junior Véronique Parke-Bédard. Miller and Parke-Bédard have been on a roll, winning nine of their last ten matches as a tandem. Individually, Miller, who plays at the top spot in the lineup, has captured eight singles victories, while Parke-Bédard is tied for second on the squad with 10 wins.
Simovic, a native of Quincy, Ill., is coming off a weekend where she went 2-0 in singles competition and 1-1 in doubles against Saint Louis and DePaul. During dual-match action, Simovic is 3-1 playing No. 6 singles and has recorded three doubles wins.
The Illini have struggled this season under first-year head coach Michelle Dasso. Illinois has been beaten in its last four contests, including a 4-3 decision at home in its last match on February 25 against previously winless Washington.
Leading the way for the Ilini has been freshman Megan Fudge. The Kaarst, Germany, native is tops on the team with a 16-7 overall record. Fudge is also the only member on Illinois' team with an above .500 singles record (3-2) during the dual-match season.
The Redbirds continue their road swing on Fri., Mar. 9, when they travel east to face Rollins College at 2:30 p.m. at the Tars' Bert W. Martin Tennis Complex in Winter Park, Fla.
For live stats and a complete recap following ISU's contest versus Illinois, log onto GoRedbirds.com.
