University of South Florida
Illinois
Bulls Outlasted by Fighting Illini in Narrow Defeat
March 15, 2015 | Women's Tennis
TAMPA (March 15, 2015) – Decisive Bulls' victories kept USF in the hunt for the win, however Illinois took the early lead, later clinching the match 4-3.
The Bulls (2-10) jumped on the boards early as the Hailey Grillo-Juliana Cardoso duo led 3-0 from the start. However, Illinois (7-4) came back to take the 7-5 win. The pair of Olaya Garrido-Rivas and Jessica Cortes Chaves fell behind early but tied up the match at five games apiece before the Fighting Illini clinched the doubles point, 7-5.
Olga Martinez recorded a decisive 6-2 first set victory for the Bulls. The Fighting Illini's Madie Baillon started off the second set with the early lead, but Martinez fought back to win 6-4, putting USF on the board.
A hard-fought first set gave Juliana Cardoso the 7-5 set win over Illinois' Jade Hilton. Cardoso's momentum continued into the second set earning her the 6-2 decision, upping the Bulls' score to two.
Despite a first set loss, Olaya Garrido-Rivas came back to take the second set, forcing a third-set tie-breaking win over Alexis Casati.
Illinois earned victories on three courts with the clinching win on court two.
USF returns to action on Friday at 2 p.m. to take on Tulsa in the second American Athletic Conference match of the season at the USF Varsity Courts.
Illinois 4, USF 3
Doubles
1: Melissa Kopinski/Louise Kowng (Illinois) def. Olaya Garrido-Rivas/Jessica Cortes Chaves (USF), 7-5
2: Olga Martinez/Vera Bessonova (USF) vs. Jerricka Boone/Madie Baillon (Illinois), DNF
3: Grace Tapak/Alexis Casati (Illinois) def. Hailey Grillo/Juliana Cardoso (USF), 7-5
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Singles
1: Olaya Garrido-Rivas (USF) def. Alexis Casati (Illinois), 5-7, 6-0, 7-6 (2)
2: Louise Kwong (Illinois) def. Vera Bessonova (USF), 7-5, 6-2
3: Jerrika Boone (Illinois) def. Jessica Cortes Chaves (USF), 6-2, 6-3
4: Olga Martinez (USF) def. Madie Baillon (Illinois), 6-2, 6-4
5: Grace Tapak (Illinois) def. Hailey Grillo (USF), 6-1, 6-1
6: Juliana Cardoso (USF) def. Jade Hilton (Illinois), 7-5, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3, 6, 2*, 1
The USF women's tennis team is the reigning American Athletic Conference Champion. The Bulls have 12 conference championships and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament three times in the last five years and 11 times in program history.
- #GoBulls -
