🎾 Kansas Defeats Illinois, 4-2
URBANA, Ill. – Kansas continues its winning ways, defeating Illinois, 4-2, on the road Friday afternoon. The win moved KU to 5-4 overall.
Kansas got on the scoreboard first securing the double points with wins on courts one and two. The No. 32-ranked duo Sonia Smagina and Roxana Manu finished first on court one as they downed Emilee Duong and Josie Frazier, 6-1. The Fighting Illini took court three, 6-1, over Maria Toran Ribes, who was partnered with Vasiliki Karvouni for the first time this season. The doubles point was clinched on court two, where Malkia Ngounoue and new partner Julia Deming got the best of Sasha Belaya and Emily Casati, 6-3.
In singles, Illinois was not down for too long as it kept the fight going and took a 2-1 lead with two straight wins on courts five and four. Karvouni was the first Jayhawk to snag a singles match, tying the score with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Casati. From then on, it was all business as usual for the Jayhawks. Manu used a 7-5, 6-4 win to put Kansas up 3-2. Moments later Smagina, who is nationally ranked 74th in singles, clinched the match from court one in two sets, 7-5, 6-3.
UP NEXT
Kansas will travel within the state of Illinois for a Sunday match with Northwestern on March 1 at Noon.
#50 Kansas 4, Illinois Women’s Tennis 2
Singles competition
#74 Sonia Smagina (KU) def. Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) 7-5, 6-3
Sasha Belaya (ILL) vs. Malkia Ngounoue (KU) 6-4, 5-4, unfinished
Carmen Roxana Manu (KU) def. Josie Frazier (ILL) 7-5, 6-4
Emilee Duong (ILL) def. Luniuska Delgado (KU) 6-2, 6-2
Ashley Yeah (ILL) def. Maria Toran Ribes (KU) 6-2, 6-0
Vasiliki Karvouni (KU) def. Emily Casati (ILL) 6-0, 6-3
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Doubles competition
#32 Sonia Smagina/Carmen Roxana Manu (KU) def. Emilee Duong/Josie Frazier (ILL) 6-1
Malkia Ngounoue/Julia Deming (KU) def. Sasha Belaya/Emily Casati (ILL) 6-3
Mia Rabinowitz/Ashley Yeah (ILL) def. Maria Toran Ribes/Vasiliki Karvouni (KU) 6-1
