Huskers Drop Matchup At #9 Illinois

Urbana, Ill. — The Nebraska men’s tennis team (0-4, 0-4 Big Ten) dropped a hard-fought match to No. 9 Illinois (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten), 4-0, on Sunday at the Atkins Tennis Center. 

Juniors Victor Moreno Lozano and William Gleason fell short to Alex Brown/Zeke Clark, 6-1 at No. 1 doubles to start off the match. Siphosothando Montsi/Noe Khlif earned the doubles point for the Fighting Illini after a 6-2 win over sophomore Shunya Maruyama and freshman Nic Wiedenhorn at the No. 3 position. 

In singles play, junior Patrick Cacciatore lost a 6-2, 6-0 contest to Lucas Horve at No. 6 before Gleason dropped his matchup against Noe Khlif in the No. 4 spot. No. 82 Montsi closed out the 4-0 Illinois victory with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Lozano at No. 1.

Wiedenhorn won the first set against Alex Bancila at No. 5, while Maruyama and sophomore Albert Sprlak-Puk battled in the second set at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots before the match was called.

The Huskers get back to action next weekend with two matches at the Dillon Tennis Center. The Huskers will play Minnesota on Friday, March 12 at 5 p.m. CT, before a matchup against Wisconsin on Sunday, March 14 at 11 a.m. CT. 

Tennis Match Results Nebraska vs Illinois

3/7/2021

at Urbana, Ill. (Atkins Tennis Center) 

#9 Illinois 4, Nebraska 0 

Singles competition 

1. Siphosothando Montsi (ILL) def. Victor Moreno Lozano (NEB) 6-3, 6-2 

2. Alex Brown (ILL) vs. Albert Sprlak-Puk (NEB) 7-6 (7-5), 5-3, unfinished 

3. Zeke Clark (ILL) vs. Shunya Maruyama (NEB) 6-1, 5-1, unfinished

4. Noe Khlif (ILL) def. William Gleason (NEB) 6-0, 6-1 

5. Alex Bancila (ILL) vs. Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB) 2-6, 2-5, unfinished

6. Lucas Horve (ILL) def. Patrick Cacciatore (NEB) 6-2, 6-0 

Doubles competition 

1. Alex Brown/Zeke Clark (ILL) def. Victor Moreno Lozano/William Gleason (NEB) 6-1

2. Aleks Kovacevic/Alex Bancila (ILL) vs. Albert Sprlak-Puk/Patrick Cacciatore (NEB) 3-5, unfinished

3. Siphosothando Montsi/Noe Khlif (ILL) def. Shunya Maruyama/Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB) 6-2 

Match Notes:

Nebraska 0-4

Illinois 8-2; National ranking #9

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (6,4,1)