March 20, 2010
After a tough battle against the No. 31 Fighting Illini, Wisconsin fell in its second Big Ten match, 5-2, on Friday night. This was the UW’s ninth ranked opponent they have faced this season and only the second of the eight ranked Big Ten teams they look to upset in conference play.
Despite a rough night, the Badgers were able to end on a good note winning their last two matches in the Nos. 2 and 5 singles spots. Freshman Hannah Berner continues to produce for the team grabbing the first win of the night. Berner fell in a close first set against the Illini’s Marisa Lambropoulos 5-7, but was able to come out strong in the second set winning 6-3. Berner then claimed the match in a third set tiebreak 1-0 (8).
The win brought Berner’s record to an impressive 11-3 on the season in singles play and is 2-0 in the No. 2 singles spot as she continues to lead the Badgers.
Alaina Trgovich ended the night in the Big Ten matchup grabbing a third set tiebreak win as she defeated Illinois’Breanne Smutko. Trgovich fell 6-3 in the first set but was able to keep the match close from then on as the Badger took the second set to a tiebreak decision winning 7-6 (4) and then claimed the third set tiebreak 1-0 (8).
Illinois got off to a quick 1-0 lead claiming the doubles point as they grabbed all three wins. The Berner/Trgovich duo saw its first ranked pair in No. 55 Leigh Finnegan and Megan Fudge who proved to be too much for the Badgers as they earned the first win on the night for the Illini.
The difficult doubles start carried into Wisconsin’s singles play falling next in the Nos. 3 and 6 spots. Sophomore Angela Chupa was able to give opponent Chelcie Abajian a challenge in the first set before falling, 7-5, 6-2.
Senior and co-captain Katya Mirnova was the next Badger to fall as she continues to take the bulk of the load for the young Wisconsin team as she was challenged with her seventh ranked opponent in singles play.
The Badgers continue road play as they look to upset No. 30 Indiana next Saturday at 11 a.m.
Julie McKay, UW Athletic Communications
Match Results
#31 Illinois 5, Wisconsin 2
Singles competition
1. #119 Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Katya Mirnova (WISC) 6-3, 6-2
2. Hannah Berner (WISC) def. Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8)
3. Leigh Finnegan (ILL) def. Jessica Seyferth (WISC) 6-1, 6-4
4. Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Angela Chupa (WISC) 7-5, 6-2
5. Alaina Trgovich (WISC) def. Breanne Smutko (ILL) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 (10-8)
6. Amy Allin (ILL) def. Aleksandra Markovic (WISC) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #55 Leigh Finnegan/Megan Fudge (ILL) def. Hannah Berner/Alaina Trgovich (WISC) 8-0
2. Chelcie Abajian/Rachael White (ILL) def. Kathleen Saltarelli/Jessica Seyferth (WISC) 8-4
3. Breanne Smutko/Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) def. Angela Chupa/Katya Mirnova (WISC) 8-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,6,4,1,2,5)
