LINCOLN, Neb. – Four singles wins helped No. 34 Illinois bounce back with a 4-1 road victory over Nebraska on Sunday afternoon.
Despite dropping the doubles point, the Fighting Illini used four straight wins in singles action to secure the victory.
No. 34 Illinois moved to 11-6 on the season with the short-handed victory and 3-1 in league action. Nebraska is now 9-6 on the season and 0-4 in Big Ten play.
Illinois started doubles play with a 6-3 win at No. 3 for Kasia Treiber and McKenna Schaefbauer over Nebraska’s Gallego/Loy, marking the Illini duo’s fourth consecutive win as a pairing. The Cornhuskers ultimately took the doubles point, though, as the hosts secured victories at No. 1 and No. 2 to take a 1-0 advantage.
The Illini evened the match at 1-1 after Alice Xu clinched a straight-set 6-3, 6-2 decision at No. 6, which helped her maintain an undefeated start to her collegiate singles career. Shortly after, Treiber put Illinois in front with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph at No. 4, giving the Illini a 2-1 advantage.
Schaefbauer’s come-from-behind win at No. 2 put Illinois within a point of victory. After dropping the opening set, 6-3, Schaefbauer never trailed in the second set to send the match to a crucial third frame. She took care of business with a 6-3 mark in the third set, putting the Illini in front by a 3-1 scoreline.
Josie Frazier ensured the Illini’s victory with a win at No. 3. Dropping the opening frame, Frazier bounced back in the second set. She took a commanding 3-0 edge before sealing the frame with a 6-2 win. In the make-or-break third set, Frazier never trailed and completed her comeback with a 6-3 decision in the frame, clinching the Illini win.
Next weekend, Illinois will return to Atkins Tennis Center for matches against Northwestern (March 30) and Minnesota (April 5).
FULL RESULTS: No. 34 ILLINOIS 4, NEBRASKA 1
Doubles:
No. 1 – Lacasse/Pietrowicz (NEB) def. No. 47 Megan Heuser/Alice Xu – 6-2
No. 2 – No. 75 Danilchenko/Zamburek (NEB) def. Kida Ferrari/Josie Frazier – 6-2
No. 3 – McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber def. Gallego/Loy (NEB) – 6-3
Singles:
No. 1 – Megan Heuser vs. Lacasse (NEB) – 6-7, 6-4, unfinished
No. 2 – McKenna Schaefbauer def. Danilchenko (NEB) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 – Josie Frazier def. Gallego (NEB) – 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
No. 4 – Kasia Treiber def….
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