Illinois women’s tennis defeats Indiana, Purdue

Illinois%E2%80%99+Ines+Vias+returns+a+ball+during+against+DePaul+at+the+Atkins+Tennis+Center+on+Feb.+19.

Austin Yattoni

Illinois’ Ines Vias returns a ball during against DePaul at the Atkins Tennis Center on Feb. 19.

By Christian Evans, Staff writer

The Illinois women’s tennis team concluded its four-game road trip last weekend, defeating Indiana on Friday and Purdue on Saturday.

Illinois rebounded from its doubles performance last weekend by taking the doubles point against Indiana.

Senior Alexis Casati and sophomore Daniela Pedraza Novak won the first match in doubles for the Illini.

They defeated Caitlin Bernard and Pauline Jahren 6-0 at the No. 3 position.

Indiana’s top duo of Madison Appel and Kim Schmider tied the score by beating Illinois’ sophomore Ines Vias and senior Louise Kwong in the next match, 6-3.

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The doubles point came down to the team of sophomore Jacyln Switkes and senior Madie Baillon on Court Two.

They clinched the Illinois’ doubles point in a 6-4 win against Indiana’s Natalie Whalen and Paula Gutierrez.

The Illini took their momentum from doubles into singles, dominating the Hoosiers.

Novak won the first singles match for the Illini over Kim Schmider in a 6-2, 6-3 victory on Court Five.

Junior Grace Tapak followed suit in the next match for Illinois, beating Indiana’s Jahren 6-1, 6-3 at  No. 6 singles.

The Hoosiers put a point on the board on Court One with Madison Appel defeating Kwong 6-1, 7-5 — the only Indiana point on the day.

Baillon was victorious at No. 3 singles against Indiana’s Bernard, winning 6-4, 6-2. Switkes then pushed the lead to 5-1 for the Illini in a 7-5, 6-2 over Whalen.

Casati won in three sets over Gutierrez 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-3) to give the Illini the 6-1 win against the Hoosiers.

Illinois then traveled to West Lafayette to face Purdue.

The Boilermakers were first to strike in this matchup, taking the doubles point by winning on Court One and Court Three against the Illini.

In the first doubles match, Purdue’s Natalia Davila and Alex Sabe defeated Casati and Novak 6-3 at the No. 3 position.

Baillon and Switkes won the next match at No. 2 doubles.

Rafaella Baquerizo and Andjela Djokovic clinched the doubles point for Purdue when they defeated Illinois’ Kwong and Vias at No. 1 doubles, 6-3.

While the Illini lost the doubles point, they won the first three singles matches.

At No. 4 singles, Jaclyn Switkes tied the match at one by defeating Purdue’s Deborah Suarez 6-1, 6-3.

Baillon followed that with a win of her own on Court Three by beating Baquerizo 7-5, 6-4. Casati then extended the lead to 3-1 for the Illini by winning 6-4, 6-3 against Sabe on Court Two.

At No. 5 singles, Novak clinched the win over the Boilermakers by defeating Davila 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.

Purdue’s Caitlin Calkins won on Court Six over Tapak 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 to make the final score of the match 4-2.

Illinois improved to 11-10, while Purdue fell to 5-13 after its loss.

The Illini will return home this upcoming weekend to face Ohio State and Penn State.

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