Michigan
Illinois
Wolverines Ease Past Illinois for Ninth Straight Win
3/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 29, 2015
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Score: #12 Michigan 6, Illinois 1
Records: U-M (15-3, 6-0 B1G), Illinois (7-9, 0-5 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 4 -- at Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.), Noon
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis ran its winning streak to nine, winning the doubles point and the first five singles matches off court in a 6-1 victory over Illinois on Sunday afternoon (March 29) at the Varsity Tennis Center.
At No. 1, Michigan's pair of senior Emina Bektas and freshman Alex Najarian jumped out to a 5-0 lead en route to an 8-3 win at the top spot to put U-M on the brink of the doubles point.
At No. 3, Michigan's new pairing of sophomore Sara Remynse and freshman Mira Ruder-Hook also raced out to a 5-0 start. The duo dropped just two games at No. 3 to clinch the doubles point for the Maize and Blue with an 8-2 win.
Junior Ronit Yurovsky was once again the first Wolverine off court in singles action, securing a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 1 to extend Michigan's lead to 2-0.
Senior Sarah Lee accounted for the third Wolverine point of the afternoon, taking a 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 3.
Najarian clinched the match for the Maize and Blue, taking a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 4. Najarian rallied from a 3-0 first-set deficit to take the first, 7-5, before taking advantage of an early break in the second for the straight-set win.
Remynse followed Najarian moments later with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 6 as Michigan pushed its lead to 5-0.
Bektas came away with a 6-4, 7-6 (6) win at No. 2 to keep Michigan perfect through five singles matches. Bektas and Alexis Casati were tied at 6-6 in the second-set tiebreaker, before Bektas ripped off two straight points to take the match.
Illinois won its only match of the day at the No. 5 position to provide the final margin.
Michigan hits the road next weekend, first traveling to Purdue on Saturday (April 4). Match time is set for noon.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 26 Ronit Yurovsky (U-M) d. Melissa Kopinski (Ill), 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 -- No. 23 Emina Bektas (U-M) d. Alexis Casati (Ill), 6-4, 7-6 (6)
No. 3 -- Sarah Lee (U-M) d. Louise Kwong (Ill), 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 -- Alex Najarian (U-M) d. Grace Tapak (Ill), 7-5, 6-4
No. 5 -- Jerricka Boone (Ill) d. Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M), 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10)
No. 6 -- Sara Remynse (U-M) d. Maddie Baillon (Ill), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 12 Alex Najarian/Emina Bektas (U-M) d. Melissa Kopinski/ Louise Kwong (Ill), 8-3
No. 2 -- No. 58 Sarah Lee/Ronit Yurovsky (U-M) vs. Jerricka Boone/Maddie Baillon (Ill), 6-3 abandoned
No. 3 -- Sara Remynse/Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) d. Alexis Casati/Grace Tapak (Ill), 8-1
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-3, Singles 1-3-4-6-2-5
N O T E S
• Michigan has won nine straight matches with today's win, including 23 straight Big Ten regular-season matches.
• U-M is now 10-1 at the Varsity Tennis Center this season.
