Huskers Drop Dual at #46 Illinois

The Big Red battled on the road, but fell 0-4 to the No. 46 Fighting Illini on Sunday afternoon. The No. 58 Nebraska women’s tennis team (10-5, 0-4 Big Ten) suffered its second conference loss of the weekend at Illinois after dropping the doubles point and three singles matches. NU will seek its first Big Ten win of the season at home, hosting Wisconsin and Minnesota next weekend.

The conference dual began with doubles, and the Fighting Illini dominated at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Court Two finished first, with Emma Rizzetto and Reya Lee Coe falling to Martinez/Xu, 6-2. Ana Zamburek and Lucy Loy battled on Court One up against Heuser/Ferrari but also lost 6-2. At No. 3 doubles, Maria Taranova and Natalia Trigosso led 5-4 over Treiber/Schaefbauer, but the match was abandoned after Illinois clinched the point.

Down by one, the Huskers took on singles play. Loy was the first to finish, taking on Kida Ferrari on Court Five. The senior fell 6-3, 6-3. At No. 6 singles, freshman Natalia Trigosso faced Kasia Treiber, and was defeated by the Fighting Illini 6-2, 6-2. Sealing the match for an Illinois win, Rizzetto met Megan Heuser on Court Two, and lost 6-4, 6-4.

Courts one, three and four were left unfinished after the Illini clinched the victory. Zamburek trailed McKenna Schaefbauer, 5-7, 3-4 at No. 1 singles. On Court Three, Maria Taranova had split sets up against the lone ranked Illini, dropping the first 3-6, and taking the second 6-1 facing #114 Violeta Martinez. Coe’s match against Ariel Madatali was also left unfinished, as the Husker was down 3-6, 2-4.

With the loss, the Fighting Illini improved to 7-8 (2-2 Big Ten) on the season, and 8-5 all-time against Nebraska.

UP NEXT
The Huskers return home to host #15 Wisconsin on Saturday, March 22 at noon (CT). On Sunday, March 23, the Big Red will take on #71 Minnesota at noon (CT).

#46 Illinois 4, #58 Nebraska 0
Singles competition
1. McKenna Schaefbauer (ILL) vs. Ana Zamburek (WNEB) 7-5, 3-4, unfinished
2. Megan Heuser (ILL) def. Emma Rizzetto (WNEB) 6-4, 6-4
3. #114 Violeta Martinez (ILL) vs. Maria Taranova (WNEB) 6-3, 1-6, unfinished
4. Ariel Madatali (ILL) vs. Reya Lee Coe (WNEB) 6-3, 3-4, unfinished
5. Kida Ferrari (ILL) def. Lucy Loy (WNEB) 6-3, 6-3
6. Kasia Treiber (ILL) def. Natalia Trigosso (WNEB) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Kida Ferrari/Megan Heuser (ILL) def. Ana Zamburek/Lucy Loy (WNEB) 6-2
2. Violeta Martinez/Alice Xu (ILL) def. Emma Rizzetto/Reya Lee Coe (WNEB) 6-2
3. McKenna Schaefbauer/Kasia Treiber (ILL) vs. Maria Taranova/Natalia Trigosso (WNEB) 4-5, unfinished