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Roni Hietaranta earned a singles win for the Huskers, but it was not enough as the No. 48 Nebraska men’s tennis team (7-4, 0-1 Big Ten) dropped its conference opener at No. 20 Illinois (7-4, 1-0 Big Ten), 4-1, on Friday evening.
The match against the Fighting Illini started with doubles play. Leo Linquet and Joan Torres Espinosa faced Illinois’ William Mroz and Zach Viiala on Court 2, falling 6-4. The Huskers then forced tiebreaks on both Courts 1 and 3, but the Fighting Illini prevailed. On Court 3, Anthon Shepp and Henry Bilicic were tied 6-6 with Mathis Debru and Jeremy Zhang before falling in the tiebreak 7-5, and Illinois earned the doubles point. The match on Court 1 was left unfinished as Calvin Mueller and Nikolay Sysoev forced a tiebreaker against Kenta Miyoshi and Tyler Bowers.
Singles play then started with the Fighting Illini leading 1-0. Sysoev and Hietaranta earned first-set victories on their respective courts, yet Illinois claimed the win on Courts 1, 2 and 6. Court 2 was first to finish as Mroz topped Shepp 6-4, 6-1, and Zach Viiala on Court 6 defeated Colson Wells 6-3, 6-4. Hietaranta got his fifth win of the season and first conference victory, topping Jeremy Zhang 6-3, 6-1 on Court 4. With Illinois leading 3-1, Debru clinched the match, defeating Linquet 7-6 (3), 6-3. The matches on Courts 1 and 3 were left unfinished.
Up next, the Huskers remain on the road and face Northwestern on Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT).
#20 Illinois 4, Nebraska 1
Singles competition
1. #12 Kenta Miyoshi (ILLINI) vs. #81 Calvin Mueller (NEB) 6-3, 4-5, unfinished
2. #48 William Mroz (ILLINI) def. Anton Shepp (NEB) 6-4, 6-1
3. Tyler Bowers (ILLINI) vs. Nikolay Sysoev (NEB) 3-6, 6-2, 1-1, unfinished
4. Roni Hietaranta (NEB) def. Jeremy Zhang (ILLINI) 6-3, 6-1
5. Mathis Debru (ILLINI) def. Leo Linquet (NEB) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
6. Zach Viiala (ILLINI) def. Colson Wells (NEB) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Kenta Miyoshi/Tyler Bowers (ILLINI) vs. Calvin Mueller/Nikolay Sysoev (NEB) 6-6, unfinished
2. William Mroz/Zach Viiala (ILLINI) def. Leo Linquet/Joan Torres Espinosa (NEB) 6-4
3. Mathis Debru/Jeremy Zhang (ILLINI) def. Anton Shepp/Henry Bilicic (NEB) 7-6 (7-5)
Match Notes:
Nebraska 7-4
Illinois 7-4; National ranking #20
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (2,6,4,5)
T-2:28 A-245