Friday, February 26
Champaign, Ill.
6 p.m.
Northwestern
4
at
3
Illinois
Northwestern Gets Past Illinois, 4-3
2/26/2016 9:46:00 PM | Women's Tennis
URBANA, Ill. -- Senior Alicia Barnett captured a third-set tiebreaker in the decisive match at No. 3 singles, giving No. 53 Northwestern a 4-3 victory over No. 59 Illinois at Atkins Tennis Center Friday evening.
In addition to Barnett, the Wildcats picked up singles wins from Maddie Lipp at No. 1, Erin Larner at No. 2 and Jillian Rooney at No. 5 to give NU its 16th straight victory over the Fighting Illini.
Illinois jumped out the early lead by capturing the doubles point. The team of Louise Kwong and Ines Vias pulled off a 6-2 upset win over the Wildcats' 13th-ranked team of Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp at No. 1 before the Wildcats' 43rd-ranked team of Alicia Barnett and Erin Larner posted a 6-2 victory over Madie Baillon and Jerricka Boone at No. 2. However, Alexis Casati and Daniela Pedraza Novak clinched the point for Illinois with a 6-3 victory at No. 3.
Northwestern went in front 2-1 in the match thanks to straight-sets victories from Lipp and Larner at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. Larner had little trouble with Alexis Casati as the sophomore rolled to a 6-0, 6-4 victory. Lipp, who is ranked 35th, followed by taking down Kwong, who is ranked 113th, 6-4, 6-3.
The hosts moved within one point of the match victory by picking up wins from Jaclyn Switkes at No. 6 and Madie Baillon at No. 4, leaving the match to be decided by a pair of matches that went to third sets at Nos. 3 and 5.
Rooney did her part to give the Wildcats a chance at the victory as she bounced back from dropping her second set by rolling in the third to defeat Daniela Pedraza Novak 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. The decison left the match to be determined by a nail-biter at No. 3.
Barnett dropped her opening set to Ines Vias, 4-6, but bounced back to take the second, 6-2. The final set was tied 5-5 before Vias broke Barnett's serve to go up 6-5. However, the Northwestern senior responded by breaking back to force a tiebreaker to determine the match. Barnett earned a 7-5 victory in the tiebreaker to earn the hard-fought win for the Wildcats.
Northwestern returns to action at 11 a.m. Sunday when it hosts No. 36 Georgia Tech at Combe Tennis Center.
#53 Northwestern 4, #59 Illinois 3
Doubles
1. Louise Kwong/Ines Vias (ILL) def. #13 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-2
2. #43 Erin Larner/Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Madie Baillon/Jerricka Boone (ILL) 6-2
3. Alexis Casati/Daniela Pedraza Novak (ILL) def. Lee Or/Manon Peri (NU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*
Singles
1. #35 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #113 Louise Kwong (ILL) 6-4, 6-3
2. Erin Larner (NU) def. Alexis Casati (ILL) 6-0, 6-4
3. Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Ines Vias (ILL) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Madie Baillon (ILL) def. Alex Chatt (NU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
5. Jillian Rooney (NU) def. Daniela Pedraza Novak (ILL) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
6. Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) def. Lee Or (NU) 6-1, 7-5
Order of finish: 2, 1, 6, 4, 5, 3*
In addition to Barnett, the Wildcats picked up singles wins from Maddie Lipp at No. 1, Erin Larner at No. 2 and Jillian Rooney at No. 5 to give NU its 16th straight victory over the Fighting Illini.
Illinois jumped out the early lead by capturing the doubles point. The team of Louise Kwong and Ines Vias pulled off a 6-2 upset win over the Wildcats' 13th-ranked team of Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp at No. 1 before the Wildcats' 43rd-ranked team of Alicia Barnett and Erin Larner posted a 6-2 victory over Madie Baillon and Jerricka Boone at No. 2. However, Alexis Casati and Daniela Pedraza Novak clinched the point for Illinois with a 6-3 victory at No. 3.
Northwestern went in front 2-1 in the match thanks to straight-sets victories from Lipp and Larner at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. Larner had little trouble with Alexis Casati as the sophomore rolled to a 6-0, 6-4 victory. Lipp, who is ranked 35th, followed by taking down Kwong, who is ranked 113th, 6-4, 6-3.
The hosts moved within one point of the match victory by picking up wins from Jaclyn Switkes at No. 6 and Madie Baillon at No. 4, leaving the match to be decided by a pair of matches that went to third sets at Nos. 3 and 5.
Rooney did her part to give the Wildcats a chance at the victory as she bounced back from dropping her second set by rolling in the third to defeat Daniela Pedraza Novak 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. The decison left the match to be determined by a nail-biter at No. 3.
Barnett dropped her opening set to Ines Vias, 4-6, but bounced back to take the second, 6-2. The final set was tied 5-5 before Vias broke Barnett's serve to go up 6-5. However, the Northwestern senior responded by breaking back to force a tiebreaker to determine the match. Barnett earned a 7-5 victory in the tiebreaker to earn the hard-fought win for the Wildcats.
Northwestern returns to action at 11 a.m. Sunday when it hosts No. 36 Georgia Tech at Combe Tennis Center.
#53 Northwestern 4, #59 Illinois 3
Doubles
1. Louise Kwong/Ines Vias (ILL) def. #13 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-2
2. #43 Erin Larner/Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Madie Baillon/Jerricka Boone (ILL) 6-2
3. Alexis Casati/Daniela Pedraza Novak (ILL) def. Lee Or/Manon Peri (NU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*
Singles
1. #35 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #113 Louise Kwong (ILL) 6-4, 6-3
2. Erin Larner (NU) def. Alexis Casati (ILL) 6-0, 6-4
3. Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Ines Vias (ILL) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Madie Baillon (ILL) def. Alex Chatt (NU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
5. Jillian Rooney (NU) def. Daniela Pedraza Novak (ILL) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
6. Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) def. Lee Or (NU) 6-1, 7-5
Order of finish: 2, 1, 6, 4, 5, 3*
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
David G. Kabiller NU for Life Program - 2025 Video
Tuesday, August 19
This is Northwestern Athletics | 2024-25 Recap
Tuesday, August 19
Northwestern Tennis | New Locker Room Virtual Tour
Wednesday, October 11
Georgia Rose Full Speech | 2022 Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame Induction
Monday, September 19
