The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Illinois
No. 24 Women's Tennis tops Illinois, 4-3
03.06.2011 | Women's Tennis
March 6, 2011
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - No. 24 Texas (5-4) rallied to win the doubles point and added singles wins from freshman Juliana Gajic, senior Amanda Craddock and sophomore Aeriel Ellis in a 4-3 victory over Illinois (3-6) indoors on Sunday at UI's Atkins Tennis Center.
Illinois posted a win at third doubles before Texas fought its way back into contention to take the doubles point. UT's 51st-ranked tandem of Craddock and Cierra Gaytan-Leach notched a key win at first doubles, where they took down the Illini's ninth-ranked duo of Rachael White and Allison Falkin, 8-4. UT's Krista Damico and Ellis trailed by a 4-1 count at second doubles to Annie McCarthy and Breanne Smutko before rallying for an 8-6 victory to clinch the doubles point for the Longhorns.
Texas' Gajic staked the Horns to a 2-0 lead at fifth singles where she nailed down a 6-1, 6-2 win over the Illini's Finnegan. Illinois put itself on the board at sixth singles as Falkin finished off UT's Larsson by a 6-4, 6-4 count. After dropping her first set at fourth singles, Texas' Craddock took the second set off of Illinois' Chelcie Abajian, 6-1. Craddock trailed 2-1 in the final set before winning the set's final five games to take the set, 6-2 and give Texas a 3-1 lead.
Illinois' Allin sliced the Texas lead to 3-2 when she registered a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over UT's Damico at second singles. But, UT's 16th-ranked Ellis pulled out a three-set victory at first singles to nail down the victory for the Longhorns. Ellis dropped the first set, 6-4 to the Illini's 92nd-ranked White before taking the final two sets, 6-3, 6-4 to preserve the Longhorns' victory. Illinois' Smutko edged UT's Maggie Mello by a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 count at third singles for the final 4-3 margin.
Texas returns to action on Saturday, March 12 when it hosts Texas A&M in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown at UT's Penick-Allison Tennis Center. First serve is set for noon Central.
POST-MATCH COMMENTS
Texas head coach Patty Fendick-McCain
On doubles
"Krista Damico and Aeriel Ellis were doing everything right at No. 2 doubles but couldn't break through for a while. Once they did, they ran with it. It was a great comeback performance to get the doubles point for us, and it was great to get that win from Amanda Craddock and Cierra Gaytan-Leach at the first spot."
On singles
"It was nice to see Amanda Craddock come back with a big win after a tough one yesterday, and Aeriel Ellis played a lot better today. Maggie Mello got down but continued to fight back, and Krista had a hard-fought match that got away from there. Juliana Gajic was able to get the win for us at No. 5, and her progress has really helped us out."
#24 Texas 4, Illinois 3
Doubles - Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
1 #51 Amanda Craddock/Cierra Gaytan-Leach (UT) def. #9 Rachael White/Allison Falkin (UI) - 8-4
2 Krista Damico/Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. Annie McCarthy/Breanne Smutko (UI) - 8-6
3 Leigh Finnegan/Amy Allin (UI) def. Elizabeth Begley/Juliana Gajic (UT) - 8-0
Singles - Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4, 2, 1, 3
1 #16 Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. #92 Rachael White (UI) - 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
2 Amy Allin (UI) def. Krista Damico (UT) - 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
3 Breanne Smutko (UI) def. Maggie Mello (UT) - 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
4 Amanda Craddock (UT) def. Chelcie Abajian (UI) - 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
5 Juliana Gajic (UT) def. Leigh Finnegan (UI) - 6-1, 6-2
6 Allison Falkin (UI) def. Caroline Larsson (UT) - 6-4, 6-4
