URBANA, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's tennis opened its home slate with a 7-0 sweep of Miami (OH) for the first win of the dual campaign. McKenna Schaefbauer climbed to 3-0 on the dual season and earned the clinch for the Orange and Blue.
Illinois is now 1-2 on the season while Miami (OH) moved to 0-4 in 2026. The Illini are now 5-10 all-time vs. the RedHawks. Prior to Saturday, the most recent meeting in the series took place in 2009.
The Fighting Illini secured their first doubles point of the season with wins at No. 3 and 2, respectively. Cara Mester and Ariel Madatali were the first off the doubles courts, earning a 6-1 decision at No. 3. McKenna Schaefbauer and Kimiko Cooper teamed up for a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles, leading the whole way to secure the day's opening tally.
Madatali made quick work of her RedHawk opposition, securing a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles for her first win of the dual campaign. Alice Xu pushed the Illinois lead to 3-0 moments later with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 6, marking her first win of the dual season as well.
Schaefbauer would clinch Illinois' first win of 2026 with a 6-3, 6-4 decision on the top singles court. The senior is up to a 3-0 record on the dual season.
From there, Lizzie Isyanov earned her first collegiate dual win, posting a 6-2, 7-5 decision at No. 5 singles. The freshman trailed 4-5 in the second set before running off three straight games to secure the victory in straight sets. Kimiko Cooper added to the Illinois lead with a 7-6(4), 6-1 win at No. 2 for her first win of 2026. Despite trailing 2-5 in the opening frame, she battled back to force, and win, the breaker.
Tess Bucher secured the sweep for Illinois. After dropping the opening frame 7-5, Bucher won set two 6-2 and the superbreaker 10-5.
NEXT WEEKEND
Next weekend, the Fighting Illini will hit the road again, making a pair of stops on their road trip. Illinois will open the stretch at Memphis on Friday, Jan. 30, at 5 p.m. CT before heading to Ole Miss for a Sunday, Feb. 1, contest at 12 p.m.
ILLINOIS (1-2) 7, MIAMI (OH) (0-4) 0
Doubles:
1 – No. 60 Tess Bucher/Alice Xu vs. Malu Oliveira/Allie Faulkner (Miami OH) – 4-4, unfinished
2 – McKenna Schaefbauer/Kimiko Cooper def. Evelyn Risney/Maria Komar (Miami OH) – 6-2
3 – Cara Mester/Ariel Madatali def. Nina Chavez/Lovisa Valentinsson (Miami OH) – 6-1
Singles:
1 – McKenna Schaefbauer def. Malu Oliveira (Miami OH) – 6-3, 6-4
2 – Kimiko Cooper def. Allie Faulkner (Miami OH) – 7-6 (4), 6-1
3 – Tess Bucher def. Evelyn Risner (Miami OH) – 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-5)
4 – Ariel Madatali def. Lovisa Valentinsson (Miami OH) – 6-2, 6-1
5 – Lizzie Isyanov def. Nina Chavez (Miami OH) – 6-2, 7-5
6 – Alice Xu def. Maria Komar (Miami OH) – 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish:
Doubles: 3, 2
Singles: 4, 6, 1, 5, 2, 3
Duration: 2:23
Attendance: 83
