URBANA, Ill. – The Illinois women’s tennis team secured a 2-0 weekend from the Atkins Tennis Center as the Orange and Blue defeated Rutgers, 4-2, on Sunday.
No. 46 Illinois moves to 10-5 on the season with the victory and 2-0 in league action. The Orange and Blue are now 7-1 in home matches this season. No. 75 Rutgers moves to 8-5 on the season and 0-2 in Big Ten play.
Illinois is 9-0 all-time against Rutgers, including 7-0 under head coach Evan Clark.
Illinois clinched its ninth doubles point of the season on Sunday, marking three straight matches winning the opening tally.
No. 3 doubles was the first court done as McKenna Schaefbauer and Kasia Treiber climbed to 2-0 when working together with the 6-3 victory.
Just a couple serves later, Kida Ferrari and Josie Frazier clinched the doubles point at No. 2, earning a 6-2 victory over their Rutgers counterparts. The Illini duo climbed to 2-2 when worked together this dual season.
Rutgers would even the score at 1-1 with the decision at No. 1 singles. From there, Frazier finished off her 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 and Xu followed with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 6 to push Illinois’ lead up to 3-1. Frazier led the whole way in her match while Xu battled back from early deficits in both sets. Frazier is up to 6-3 on the dual season while Xu climbed to 3-0 with Sunday’s wins.
The remaining three matches would all go to a third set.
No. 5 singles would be the next match decided as Rutgers pulled within 3-2 with the 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 win.
Battling at No. 4, Treiber took her opening set 6-4 before falling 6-3 in set two. She struck first in the third frame and then went up 4-1….
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