Michigan
Illinois State
Wolverines Blank Illinois State, Advance to NCAA Second Round
5/2/2026 3:51:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Event: NCAA Tournament (First Round)
Score: #12 Michigan 5, Illinois State 0
Records: U-M (20-6), ISU (18-7)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 3 -- vs. Florida -- NCAA Tournament Second Round (Varsity Tennis Center), 1 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team took the doubles point and dominated in singles action to record a 5-0 win over Illinois State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon (May 2) at the Varsity Tennis Center.
The Wolverines struck first, earning wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to secure the opening point.
Laura Rahnel and Reese Miller set the tone at No. 2 doubles, winning the first four games en route to a 6-1 victory as the first match to finish.
Illinois State answered with a 6-0 win at No. 1, turning attention to court No. 3. Piper Charney and Emily Sartz-Lunde broke at love for a 3-1 lead and held again at love in the next game. The pair did not drop another game, cruising to a 6-1 win to secure the opening point.
Michigan took all six first sets in singles play, highlighted by a 6-0 opening set at No. 1 from Lily Jones.
Jones was first to finish, dropping just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 1 to push the Michigan lead to 2-0. She went up a break at 2-1 in the second set before Illinois State broke back to level at 2-2. Jones responded by winning the final four games to extend her winning streak to four matches.
Miller accounted for Michigan's third point, earning her 30th singles win of the season with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 3. She broke at 3-1 in the first set and controlled play from there. Like Jones, she closed the match by winning the final four games of the second set.
Jessica Bernales and Sartz-Lunde held concurrent match points, finishing moments apart to seal the 5-0 decision.
Bernales won the first three games of her opening set and cruised to a 6-2 win. She went up a break at 2-1 in the second set and maintained it, converting her third match point in a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Sartz-Lunde followed with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 4, extending her winning streak to six matches. After taking the first set, she won the first five games of the second set to close out the match.
Michigan will face No. 17-ranked Florida on Sunday (May 3) at 1 p.m. at the Varsity Tennis Center. The match is expected to be played outdoors.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 24 Lily Jones (U-M) d. Silvia Pomarolli (Illinois State), 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 -- No. 8 Piper Charney (U-M) vs. Lana Caculovic (Illinois State), 6-4, 4-0 abandoned
No. 3 -- No. 105 Reese Miller (U-M) d. Vittoria Benedetti (Illinois State), 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 -- No. 120 Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M) d. Nuria Sanz (Illinois State), 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 -- Jessica Bernales (U-M) d. Nicole Iosio (Illinois State), 6-2, 6-3
No. 6 -- Laura Rahnel (U-M) vs. Emma Lindh (Illinois State), 6-3, 4-2 abandoned
Doubles
No. 1 -- Silvia Pomarolli/Vittoria Benedetti (Illinois State) d. No. 30 Jessica Bernales/Lily Jones (U-M), 6-0
No. 2 -- No. 66 Reese Miller/Laura Rahnel (U-M) d. Nicole Iosio/Nuria Sanz (Illinois State), 6-1
No. 3 -- Piper Charney/Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M) d. Lana Caculovic/Emma Lindh (Illinois State), 6-1
Order of Completion: Doubles 2-1-3; Singles 1-3-5-4
Players Mentioned
