Jane Anderson and Ida Malmberg upset the 54th-ranked Illinois duo of Cynthya Goulet and Emily Wang in the Golden Gophers' 7-0 team loss today in Champaign, Ill. Anderson and Malmberg posted the only win of the day for the Maroon and Gold (6-14, 1-9 Big Ten) as Illinois swept the singles matches and went 2-1 in doubles to close out the regular season.
UI gained the early 1-0 lead after taking wins at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles. After an 8-1 win at No. 3, Macall Harkins and Brianna Knue dispatched Minnesota's Nischela Reddy and Marina Bugaenco, 8-5, to win the doubles point. Next, however, the Golden Gopher duo of Anderson and Malmberg sprung the upset on Goulet and Wang at No. 1 with a 9-8 (2) victory.
Illinois cruised to the team win in the regular season finale with a 6-0 showing in singles play. At No. 1, 34th-ranked Goulet overwhelmed 91st-ranked Reddy, 6-2, 6-3, to drop the Golden Gopher's dual record to 11-9 this season (5-5 Big Ten). Reddy is now 6-5 vs. ranked opponents this year.
Illinois made quick work of the Maroon and Gold in all but one match. At No. 4, Minnesota's Danielle Moussea won the opening set 6-4 over Brianna Knue and battled in the final two sets. Knue proved victorious, however, taking the final two sets in tiebreakers, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7).
Minnesota heads to the 2005 Big Ten Championships next weekend in East Lansing, Mich.
Minnesota at #50 Illinois
April 24, 2005
Atkins Tennis Center
Urbana, Illinois
Singles
1. #34 Cynthya Goulet (ILL) def. #91 Nischela Reddy (MN), 6-2, 6-3
2. Macall Harkins (ILL) def. Jane Anderson (MN), 7-6 (5), 6-2
3. Momei Qu (ILL) def. Ida Malmberg (MN), 6-3, 6-2
4. Brianna Knue (ILL) def. Danielle Mousseau (MN), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7)
5. Emily Wang (ILL) def. Marina Bugaenco (MN), 6-3, 6-1
6. Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL) def. Megan Steiger (MN), 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1. Anderson/Malmberg (MN) def. #54 Goulet/Wang (ILL), 9-8 (2)
2. Harkins/Knue (ILL) def. Reddy/Bugaenco (MN), 8-5
3. Pavlina Akritas/Qu (ILL) def. Shelby Rohrer/Mousseau (MN), 8-1
#50 Illinois def. Minnesota, 7-0
