Huskers Upset No. 31 Illinois, 4-3

Champaign-Urbana, Ill. – The No. 68 Nebraska women’s tennis team (15-8, 4-6 Big Ten) upset No. 31 Illinois (17-7, 8-2 Big Ten) 4-3 at the Atkins Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
The match began with a thrilling performance in doubles play. In the No. 3 position, Lucy Loy and Anfisa Danilchenko fell to Kida Ferrari and Violeta Martinez, 6-0.  Closely contested matches played out on Courts 1 and 2. Ana Carmen Zamburek and Isabel Adrover Gallego battled Josie Frazier and Emily Casati on Court 2, winning the match 7-5. The deciding match played out on Court 3. The No. 89 ranked doubles team of Samantha Alicea and Raphaëlle Lacasse got their 14th win as a duo when they upset the No. 15 ranked doubles team of Kate Duong and Megan Heuser, 7-6 (5).
 
The thrilling performance continued in singles play. On Court 3, Carmen Zamburek was bested by Heuser, 6-3, 6-2. Adrover Gallego defeated Duong in the No. 1 position, 6-3, 6-4. In the No. 4 spot, Lacasse fell to Illinois’ Kasia Treiber, 6-2, 7-5, making the overall score 2-2. NU’s Jillian Roa fell to Martinez in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Alicea bested No. 85 ranked singles player, Ashley Yeah, in three sets, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (2). With both teams within one point of victory, the deciding match played out on Court 5. Danilchenko clinched the win for Nebraska in a hard fought-battle against Ferrari, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5.
 
Up next, NU concludes regular season play when it faces Northwestern at the Combe Tennis Center on Sunday at noon CT. 
 
Tennis Match Results
Nebraska vs. Illinois
4/22/23 at Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
(Atkins Tennis Center)
 
Illinois 3, Nebraska 4
 
Singles Competition
1. Isabel Adrover Gallego (NEB) def. Kate Duong (ILL), 6-3, 6-4
2. Samantha Alicea (NEB) def. #85 Ashley Yeah (ILL), 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (2)
3. Megan Heuser (ILL) def. Ana Carmen Zamburek (NEB), 6-3, 6-2
4. Kasia Treiber (ILL) def. Raphaëlle Lacasse (NEB) 6-2, 7-5
5. Anfisa Danilchenko (NEB) def. Kida Ferrari (ILL) 6-4, 5-7, 7-5
6. Violeta Martinez (ILL) def. Jillian Roa (NEB) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
 
Doubles Competition
1. #89 Samantha Alicea/Raphaëlle Lacasse (NEB) def. #15 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser (ILL), 7-6 (5)
2. Ana Carmen Zamburek/Isabel Adrover Gallego (NEB) def. Josie Frazier/Emily Casati (ILL), 7-5
3. Kida Ferrari/Violeta Martinez (ILL) def. Lucy Loy/Anfisa Danilchenko (NEB), 6-0
 
Match Notes
Nebraska 15-8
Illinois 17-7
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3, 1, 4, 6, 2, 5)