Illini Fall to No. 24 Georgia Tech in NCAA Tournament First Round

Illinois Athletics

May 4, 2024

Kida Ferrari courtesy Illinois Athletics

AUSTIN, Texas – In the program's 15th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Illinois women's tennis team dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 24 Georgia Tech from Austin, Texas. First Round action took place outdoors from the Texas Tennis Center.

The Fighting Illini close the season with a 17-10 record while No. 24 Georgia Tech owns a 14-9 record. Illinois is now 0-3 all-time against the Yellow Jackets.

Illinois' 2024 NCAA Team Tournament appearance marked back-to-back bids for the second time under Clark and seventh time in program history. This season's appearance was the fourth with Clark at the helm.

Overall, Illinois has now appeared in 15 NCAA Tournaments and owns a combined 4-15 record in those outings.

Despite an early Illini lead on two of the doubles courts, Georgia Tech came away with the opening point of the match. The Yellow Jackets ranked squads at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles came away with wins over the Illini while Josie Frazier and Kida Ferrari would go unfinished at No. 3.

Georgia Tech claimed the first two matches off the singles courts as well, pushing out to a 3-0 lead with the decisions at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

Ferrari earned a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles to get Illinois on the board, trailing 3-1. The junior climbs to 13-6 overall and 12-3 in duals this season with the victory while winning her fifth straight match.
A straight-set decision at No. 2 singles was the deciding point as Georgia Tech clinched the match, 4-1.

FULL RESULTS: NO. 39 ILLINOIS 1, NO. 24 GEORGIA TECH 4

Doubles:
No. 1 – No. 21 Sharabura/Lee (GT) def. No. 82 Kate Duong/Megan Heuser – 6-2
No. 2 – No. 63 Roach/Cruz (GT) def. Kasia Treiber/McKenna Schaefbauer – 6-3
No. 3 – Josie Frazier/Kida Ferrari vs. Nicholson/Bilchev (GT) – 5-3, unfinished

Singles:
No. 1 – Megan Heuser vs. No. 38 Carol Lee (GT) – 6-3, 2-6, 1-4, unfinished
No. 2 – Kylee Bilchev (GT) def. McKenna Schaefbauer – 7-6 (2), 6-3
No. 3 – Alejandra Cruz (GT) def. Violeta Martinez – 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 – Scarlett Nicholson (GT) def. Josie Frazier – 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 – Kasia Treiber vs. Kate Sharabura (GT) – 6-4, 6-7 (5), 1-4, unfinished
No. 6 – Kida Ferrari def. Given Roach (GT) – 6-0, 6-4

Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1, 2
Singles: 3, 4, 6, 2
Duration: 2:46

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