Chambana Sun

The University of Illinois women's tennis team, the Fighting Illini, achieved a convincing 4-0 victory over the 42nd-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday. The match marked Illinois' second consecutive sweep in Big Ten Conference play, attracting a crowd of 171 spectators.

Currently ranked No. 51, Illinois improved its season record to 10-10 overall and advanced to 5-4 in Big Ten matches. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions stand at 13-6 overall and 4-5 in conference play. Illinois has now secured an 8-7 record in home matches this season.

The Illini started strong, claiming their 12th doubles point of the season. The duo of McKenna Schaefbauer and Kasia Treiber won their match at No. 3 doubles with a 6-1 score. This victory improved their team record to 14-11 overall and 7-1 in Big Ten play. Alice Xu and Violeta Martinez also had a solid performance at No. 2 doubles, securing a 6-1 win. Their partnership record now stands at 10-5 for the season.

Kasia Treiber dominated at No. 6 singles, recording a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Megan Heuser followed with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 2 singles, maintaining control throughout the match. Freshman Ariel Madatali sealed the sweep with a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles, marking her 16th win of the season and a 4-1 record in Big Ten play.

Following this victory, the Fighting Illini concluded matches in less than two hours. The team will now prepare for their upcoming match against No. 11 Ohio State. The event, marking Senior Day, will involve a ceremony before the match at the Atkins Tennis Center. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive free Raising Cane’s, and all fans can participate in a raffle to win a PlayStation 5.