CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Penn State women’s tennis team fell 4-0 at Illinois on Sunday. The Nittany Lions dropped a tight doubles point before the Illini earned singles wins at the even positions. Penn State is now 6-5 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten play, while Illinois improved to 6-3 overall and 1-0 in conference action.
The Nittany Lions return home next Sunday for a doubleheader against James Madison, at 10 a.m., and Duquesne, at 4 p.m.
Doubles
Penn State dropped a tight doubles point.
At No. 2, PSU’s Ioana Gheorghita and Alexandra Nielsen were tied 5-5 with Illinois’ Emily Casati and Josie Frazier but fell 7-5.
Olivia Dorner and Karly Friedland competed at No. 3 against Illinois’ Violeta Martinez and Ashley Yeah. The Nittany Lion pair dropped a 6-4 decision.
At the top doubles spot, Sofiya Chekhlystova and Carla Girbau were leading 6-5 and up 40-15 in their game when the match was stopped against Illinois’ 25th-ranked Kate Duong and Megan Heuser.
Singles
Yvonne Zuffova took on Illinois’ Yeah, rated 72nd in the ITA rankings, at No. 2. Zuffova dropped a 6-4, 6-3 decision.
At No. 4, the freshman, Dorner, met Illinois’ Josie Frazier. The Nittany Lion rookie fell 6-2, 6-1.
Friedland competed at No. 6 against the Illini’s Kida Ferrari. The PSU junior fell 6-3, 6-4.
At the No. 5 position, Girbau took her opening set, 6-4, against Kasia Treiber. Girbau was trailing 4-3 in the second set when the match was stopped.
After dropping her first set, 6-1, Gheorghita claimed the second set, 6-4, before her match went unfinished at No. 3 against Illinois’ Heuser.
At the top singles spot, Chekhlystova, ranked 50th in the ITA Poll, dropped a tight first set, 7-5, against Illinois’ Duong. Chekhlystova was trailing 5-4 in the second set when it was stopped.
Doubles Results
- Sofiya Chekhlystova/Carla Girbau (PSU) vs. #25 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser (ILL), 6-5, unfinished
- Emily Casati/Josie Frazier (ILL) def. Ioana Gheorghita/Alexandra Nielsen (PSU), 7-5
- Violeta Martinez/Ashley Yeah (ILL) def. Olivia Dorner/Karly Friedland (PSU), 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 2
Singles Results
1. #50 Sofiya Chekhlystova (PSU) vs. Kate Duong (ILL), 5-7, 4-5, unfinished
2. #72 Ashley Yeah (ILL) def. Yvonne Zuffova (PSU), 6-4, 6-3.
3. Ioana Gheorghita (PSU) vs. Megan Heuser (ILL), 1-6, 6-4, unfinished
4. Josie Frazier (ILL)…
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