Huskies Fall In Another Tough 4-3 Match

Sunday, February 18

Urbana, IL

9:00 AM

University of Washington

Illinois

Miki Kobayashi preparing to hit the ball

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

February 18, 2018 | Women's Tennis

CHICAGO – For the second match in a row, No. 22 Washington women's tennis suffered a 4-3 loss after falling in three sets in the deciding singles math, this time at the hands of No. 24 Illinois on Sunday morning at the Atkins Tennis Center.

The team score was tied 3-3 with No. 2 singles to decide the winner. No. 36 Vanessa Wong dropped her first set, 6-4, but came back to win the second in a tight fashion, 7-5. She jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the third set, but Jaclyn Switkes of Illinois battled back to tie it up at 4-4. The two traded games until Wong went up 6-5. However, Switkes won the break point to go to a tiebreaker. Unfortunately, Washington fell short again as Wong lost the tiebreaker, 7-4.

"Both of the losses this weekend hurt and we know both matches could have gone either way," Washington head coach Robin Stephenson said. "These girls have been working so hard and we know we can accomplish some incredible things this year. Some of the best success comes after tough losses. We need to get back to practice and work on some things and come out with more intention and confidence next weekend."

This is the first time since 2007 that Washington has lost two 4-3 matches in a row. In that season, the Dawgs suffered back-to-back losses to Denver and Sacramento State, both by the same score of 4-3. The Huskies are now 7-4 on the year while the Fighting Illini improve to 7-1.

"It is so good to play these kind of competitive matches early in the season and be tested and learn what we need to improve on," Stephenson said. "These matches will pay off down the road and we will be better because of them."

In doubles, the No. 1 Husky duo of Miki Kobayashi and Wong won their set, 6-3. However, Illinois won the other two sets handily, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, to take the doubles point.

After coming up short in doubles, Stacey Fung and Alexis Prokopuik both bounced back in singles. Prokopuik's singles win got the Huskies on the board. She took it in two on court four, 6-3, 6-2. At No. 1 singles, Fung won in two sets, 6-4, 6-2.

At No. 3 singles, Kobayashi won her first set on court three, 6-2, but had to battle harder in the second. She trailed for most of the set before tying it up at 5-5 and eventually taking the set, 7-5, and the match. The senior went undefeated on the day after winning in both doubles and singles.

Washington lost the matches on courts five and six in two sets. Kenadi Hance at No. 5 almost forced a third set after tying it up 5-5 in the second, but her opponent put together two-straight games to take the match.

RESULTS
#22 Washington - 3
#24 Illinois - 4

Doubles (Order of finish: 2, 1, 3)
1) Kobayashi/Wong (UW) def. Duong/Switkes (ILL) 6-3
2) Belaya/Novak (ILL) def. Hance/Kopcalic (UW) 6-1
3) Kawai/Rabinowitz (ILL) def. Fung/Prokopuik (UW) 6-2

Singles (Order of finish: 6, 4, 1, 3, 5, 2)
1) #11 Stacey Fung (UW) def. Asuka Kawai (ILL) 6-4, 6-2
2) Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) def. #36 Vanessa Wong (UW) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4)
3) Miki Kobayashi (UW) def. #92 Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) 6-2, 7-5
4) Alexis Prokopuik (UW) def. Daniela Novak (ILL) 6-3, 6-2
5) Emilee Duong (ILL) def. Kenadi Hance (UW) 6-2, 7-5
6) Sasha Belaya (ILL) def. Katarina Kopcalic (UW) 6-1, 6-1