Chambana Sun

Fighting Illini senior Megan Heuser achieved her second ranked singles win in consecutive days during Illinois' 4-1 defeat against No. 7 Virginia in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. The event commenced outdoors before wrapping up indoors at the Virginia Tennis Facility.

With this loss, No. 38 Illinois ended the season with an overall record of 15-13, facing top-25 ranked opponents ten times throughout the campaign. Virginia, ranked seventh, improved its record to 22-5.

This 2025 season marked the 16th time the Fighting Illini have competed in the NCAA Championships, and their third straight year participating. Historically, Illinois has a 5-16 record in NCAA Tournament play and made its fifth appearance in the Second Round in program history.

As the host team, Virginia secured the opening match point by winning both No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, leaving the No. 1 match unfinished. Due to weather conditions, singles matches were moved indoors during the first sets.

Virginia quickly climbed to a 3-0 lead before Heuser's victory at No. 2 singles put Illinois on the scoreboard. Heuser secured a 6-3, 6-2 win over her No. 23-ranked opponent from Virginia, marking her second ranked singles win in two days. She overcame a 0-2 deficit in the first set by winning five consecutive games and then took control early in the second set to finish the match. Her season singles record now stands at 16-12, with a 13-8 record in dual matches.

Virginia concluded the match with a win at No. 6 singles, finalizing the 4-1 result.

"The Illini fought hard, but Virginia was too strong today," noted a source close to the Illinois team, reflecting on the match and its outcome.