🎾 Kansas Blanks Illinois 4-0; Stays Perfect at Home

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks stayed unbeaten at home this season, topping Illinois 4-1 on Friday at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

Coach Todd Chapman’s team is now 5-0 at home this season and 6-4 on the season overall. The Fighting Illini dropped to 7-4 on the season. Kansas is now 6-1 in its last seven matches.

The Jayhawks jumped out in front on Friday, winning the doubles point versus the Illini. The team of Malkia Nguonoue and Maria Titova topped Kate Duong and Megan Heuser, 6-2 on Court 1. Sonia Smagina and Carmen Roxana Manu also won 6-2 to earn the doubles point for the hosts on Court 2.

Raphaelle Lacasse and Mariana Manyoma-Velasquez didn’t finish their match after the first two wins.

In singles, Ngounoue was the first Jayhawk to notch a singles point, and she did it in impressive fashion. She topped Ashley Yeah, 6-1, 6-1 on Court 2 to make it 2-0, Kansas.

The Jayhawks grabbed their third point on Court 5 when Manyoma-Velasquez picked up a 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 win to make it 3-0. Then, Roxana Manu capped off the win, topping Heuser, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Her win secured the victory for the Jayhawks and finished off the 4-0 win for the home Jayhawks.

Titova, playing on Court 1, didn’t finish her match, which was 2-2 in the third set. Smagina also didn’t get to finish, after earning a set win in Set 2 on Court 3. Tiffany Lagarde was just starting the third set on Court 6 when the match was clinched.

Up Next:

The Jayhawks will look to stay perfect at home on Sunday when they host Northwestern at 12 p.m., at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

Singles Results

#62 Titova (KU) vs. Duong, 6-2, 6-7, 2-2 (DNF)

#121 Ngounoue (KU) def. Yeah, 6-1, 6-1

Smagina (KU) vs. Frazier, 3-6, 6-4, 1-2 (DNF)

Roxana Manu (KU) def. Heuser, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5

Manyoma-Velasquez (KU) def. Treiber, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3

Lagarde (KU) vs. Ferrari, 6-4, 5-7 (DNF)

Doubles Results

Ngounoue/Titova (KU) def. Duong/Heuser, 6-2

Smagina/Roxana Manu (KU) def. Frazier/Yeah, 6-2