NU Falls to Illinois, 4-3

Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska women's tennis team (10-8, 3-3 Big Ten) fell to the Fighting Illini (12-6, 5-1 Big Ten) 4-3 Sunday morning at the Dillon Tennis Center. 

The Huskers secured the point in doubles competition, with the No. 1 team of Kristina Novak and Maja Makoric defeating Illinois' Kate Duong and Megan Heuser, 6-3. The No. 2 team of Isabel Adrover Gallego and Chloe Kuckelman  beat Illinois' Josie Frazier and Ashley Yeah 6-3 to claim the doubles point. In the No. 3 spot, Ellie Kuckelman and Samantha Alicea were tied 4-4 with the Fighting Illini's Emily Casati and Kasia Treiber before competition moved to singles play. 
 
To start singles, Makoric grabbed a straight-set win over Illinois' Yeah, 6-1, 6-2. The Huskers took an overall 2-0 lead before Illinois won the next three matches at No. 4, 1 and 5. Chloe fell to Heuser, Novak dropped a two-set battle to Duong and Treiber defeated Ellie 6-1, 6-4. Alicea got the Huskers back on track and tied the match with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Ingle at No. 6. The deciding match was on Court 3 with Adrover Gallego battling Frazier. Gallego forced a third set, but fell to Frazier 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. 

Up next, the Huskers will travel east to face Rutgers on Saturday, April 9 and Maryland on Sunday, April 10. Both matches will start at 11 a.m. CT. 

#53 Nebraska 3 , #59 Illinois 4

Singles competition
1. Kate Duong (ILL) def. Kristina Novak (NEB) 6-3, 6-2
2. #110 Maja Makoric (NEB) def. Ashley Yeah (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
3. Josie Frazier (ILL) def. Isabel A. Gallego (NEB) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
4. Megan Heuser (ILL) def. Chloe Kuckelman (NEB) 6-1, 6-3
5. Kasia Treiber (ILL) def. Ellie Kuckelman (NEB) 6-1, 6-4
6. Samantha Alicea (NEB) def. Shivani Ingle (ILL) 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Maja Makoric/Kristina Novak (NEB) def. Kate Duong/Megan Heuser (ILL) 6-3
2. Isabel A. Gallego/Chloe Kuckelman (NEB) def. Josie Frazier/Ashley Yeah (ILL) 6-3
3. Ellie Kuckelman/Samantha Alicea (NEB) vs. Emily Casati/Kasia Treiber (ILL) 4-4, unfinished

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (2,4,1,5,3,6)