WEST POINT, NY – The spring season is officially underway for Illinois State, after the Redbirds faced two tough teams on Saturday on Day 1 of the Arthur Ashe Invite hosted by Army at West Point. The Redbirds lost to Florida Atlantic 7-0 in the first game of the day and fought 4-3 to state rival DePaul in the morning.
“Today was so tough. We played well in the first game, but we really had to shake the nerves and the rust while playing against a nationally ranked team,” said the head coach of the UIS. Marc Klysner noted. “We held on and I think we could have won a few games for sure. Game two was a fight between us and DePaul and it’s still one of the most fun and hard-fought games in the game. year. After four hours marathon, in addition to having left several match points on a few courts, it was just not our day, but I was very happy with the way we fought until the end .”
After a tough Game 1 loss, Illinois State bounced back in Game 2 against DePaul and pushed the Blue Demons to the limit in Game Tonight. Two fold, Melker Isaksson and Diego Le Gal Perez beat No. 2 DePaul team of Lars Peder Minsaas and Luuk Wassenaar, 7-5, to tie things up at 1-1. Diego Emilio Moura Herrera and Dominique Cuchran fought hard to secure the doubles point for the Redbirds at No. 3 but were eventually defeated 7-6 to give the Blue Demons the first point.
DePaul picked up wins at No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 to win the game, but the Redbirds never gave up and fought back to a 4-3 finish. Pol Botifoll Rius picked up a thrilling 7-5, 6-7, 12-10 win over Luuk Wassenaar at No. 2 and Isaksson beat Marino Jakic in straight sets 6-4, 5-7, 10-3 at No. 3. Dominique Cuchran also won in three sets at No. 6 to pick up the third point of the day for the Redbirds.
The Redbirds are back in action tomorrow at noon against Army to wrap up a busy first weekend of action in the dual season.
MATCH 1: Florida Atlantic (7), Illinois State (0)
Singles competition
1. Carles Sarrio (FAU) beats. NamPham (ILS) 6-3, 3-6,14-12
2. Kevin Huempfner (FAU) defeated. Pol Botifoll Rius (ILS) 6-0.6-3
3. Alvaro Fernandez Horta (FAU) defeats. Melker Isaksson (ILS) 7-6, 6-1
4. Nicolas Jadoun (FAU) defeated. Diego Le Gal Perez (ILS) 6-4, 6-2
4. Pol Botifoll Rius (ILS) def. Fran Tonejc (DPU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Gerard Escandell (FAU) defeated. Arvid Hjalte (ILS) 6-3, 6-4
6. Finn Stodder (FAU) defeated. Diego Emilio Moura Herrera (ILS) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles contest
1. Kevin Huempfner/Filip Krolo (FAU) def. Arvid Hjalte/Zane Kohr (ILS) 6-2
2. Carles Sarrio/Hunter Robbins (FA) vs. Melker Isaksson/Diego Le Gal Perez (ILS) unfinished
3. Alvaro Fernandez Horta/Finn Stodder (FAU) defeated. Dominique Cuchran/Diego Emilio Moura Herrera (ILS) 6-2
MATCH 2: DePaul (4), Illinois State (3)
Singles competition
1. Vito Tonejc (DEP) defeated. NamPham (ILS) 6-1, 6-3
2. Pol Botifoll Rius (ILS) def. Luuk Wassenaar (DEP) 7-5, 6-7, 12-10
3. Melker Isaksson (ILS) def. Marino Jakic (DEP) 6-4, 5-7, 10-3
4. Leon Huck (DEP) defeated. Diego Emilio Moura Herrera (ILS) 6-4, 6-2
5. Matteo Iaquinto (DEP) def. Arvid Hjalte (ILS) 6-1, 7-5
6. Dominique Cuchran (ILS) def. Sven Moser (DEP) 7-5, 4-6, 10-2
Doubles contest
1. Vito Tonejc/Marino Jakic (DEP) defeated. Arvid Hjalte/Zane Kohr (ILS) 6-3
2. Melker Isaksson/Diego Le Gal Perez (ILS) def. Lars Peder Minsaas/Luuk Wassenaar (DEP) 7-5
3. Tripp Tuff/Matteo Iaquinto (DEP) def. Diego Emilio Moura Herrera/Dominique Cuchran (ILS) 7-6
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