Friday, 04/20/2012

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. –  No. 47 Indiana (15-9, 4-6) fell just short on the road at No. 21 Illinois (16-6, 8-2) on Friday evening, 4-3.

The Fighting Illini took the opening match in doubles, winning in the No. 1 position.  IU quickly bounced back in the No. 3 match as Leslie Hureau and Shannon Murdy defeated Chelcie Abajian and Allison Falkin, 8-1, to even things up.  In the No. 2 match, IU’s Kayla Fujimoto and Evgeniya Vertesheva battled hard, but fell to Rachael White and Amy Allin in a close one, 8-6.  That gave Illinois the doubles point.

In singles, the Illini jumped ahead 2-0 as White topped IU’s Murdy in the No. 5 match, 6-3, 6-2.  No. 77 Hureau of Indiana put the Hoosiers on the board, as she cruised in her No. 1 match topping No. 98 Allison Falkin, 6-1, 6-1.

Fujimoto made it an even team score at 2-2, as she topped Illinois’ Abajian, 6-4, 6-3, in the No. 6 position.  The tie was short lived as Melissa Kopinski of the Illini won in straight sets at No. 2.  Indiana was not done yet though.  IU freshman Alisha Kauss went the distance and outlasted Illinois’ Amy Allin in a third set tiebreaker, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (2), to deadlock the team score, 3-3.

It all came down to the No. 3 singles match, which featured Indiana’s Katie Klyzcek and Illinois’ Marisa Lambropoulos.  Lambropoulos took the opening set, 6-3.  It was a competitive second set that went to a tiebreaker.  Klyzcek stepped up and won that tiebreaker, 11-9, to take the set, 6-7.  But it would be Lambropoulos who would edge Klyzcek in the deciding third set, 6-2, which clinched the match for the Illini.

The Hoosiers will have a day off before hosting No. 12 Northwestern on Sunday, April 22 in Bloomington.  That match will wrap up the regular season for IU and will begin at 11 a.m. ET.

Results

No. 21 Illinois 4, No. 47 Indiana 3

Singles:

1. #77 Leslie Hureau (IND) def. #98 Allison Falkin (ILL) 6-1, 6-1
2. Melissa Kopinski (ILL) def. Evgeniya Vertesheva (IND) 6-4, 6-4
3. Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) def. Katie Klyczek (IND) 6-3, 6-7 (9-11), 6-2
4. Alecia Kauss (IND) def. Amy Allin (ILL) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7-2)
5. Rachael White (ILL) def. Shannon Murdy (IND) 6-3, 6-2
6. Kayla Fujimoto (IND) def. Chelcie Abajian (ILL) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles:

1. #59 Marisa Lambropoulos/Melissa Kopinski (ILL) def. Sophie Garre/Katie Klyczek (IND) 8-4
2. Rachael White/Amy Allin (ILL) def. Kayla Fujimoto/Evgeniya Vertesheva (IND) 8-6
3. Leslie Hureau/Shannon Murdy (IND) def. Chelcie Abajian/Allison Falkin (ILL) 8-1

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,1,6,2,4,3)