UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – To open the final weekend of the regular season, the Illinois women’s tennis team secured a 4-1 win at Penn State on Friday. The Fighting Illini secured their third straight win with the result over the Nittany Lions. Under head coach Evan Clark, the Illini are now 6-1 against Penn State.
Illinois improved to 16-7 overall with the victory including an 8-2 mark in Big Ten matches. Penn State is now 5-15 overall and 4-6 in Big Ten play.
On the doubles courts, Illinois claimed the doubles point for the 14th time of the season.
The newly formed doubles duo of Josie Frazier and Alice Xu were the first off the courts with a 6-3 win at No. 3 doubles. The Illini led 3-0 early before the Penn State duo pulled within 5-3 but the Orange and Blue powered through to win the next game.
At No. 2 doubles, Kasia Treiber and McKenna Schaefbauer earned a 6-4 victory to climb to 8-2 when working together this season. All of those results have occurred in Big Ten play.
After trailing early in her opening set, Schaefbauer won the final three games to secure a 7-5 first frame win. She cruised to a 6-1 second set victory and pushed the Illinois lead to a 2-0 margin. Schaefbauer owns a team-best 16-7 singles record on the season, which includes a 13-4 mark in duals, and a 5-2 reading in Big Ten action.
Frazier followed with a straight-set victory of her own at No. 4 singles. The fifth-year senior won by a line of 6-2, 6-4 to give the Fighting Illini a 3-0 lead over Penn State. Frazier owns a 13-9 overall record, 10-5 dual reading, and 5-2 mark in Big Ten play with the win.
Penn State got on the board next with a win at No. 1 singles to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Illini.
Treiber would ultimately earn the clinch for Illinois, picking up a three-set 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles. The winner marked her seventh clinch of the season and third in the last four matches. Treiber owns a 15-13 overall singles record, which includes a 12-8 reading in duals, and a 7-3 mark in Big Ten matches.
Illinois will close out the regular season on Sunday with a visit to No. 15 Ohio State on Sunday, April 21.
FULL RESULTS: NO. 35 ILLINOIS 4, PENN STATE 1
Doubles:
No. 1 – No. 72 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser vs. Chekhlystova/Friedland (PSU) – 4-5, unfinished
No. 2 – Kasia Treiber/McKenna Schaefbauer def….
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