What you need to know:
* Georgia State fought hard on UGA's Hopkins Indoor Courts, but fell to Illinois Saturday morning 4-2. The Panthers dropped to 0-3 on the season, while the Fighting Illini picked up their first win of the season to improve to 1-2.
* GSU battled hard and earned two victories during singles play. Freshman Arina Taluyenko notched her second win of the year with a 6-2, 6-4 result against Illinois' Madie Baillon. Junior Kristin Rehse edged Louise Kwong 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to bring the Panthers within one at 3-2. The Fighting Illini's Jade Hilton ousted Russian Anastasia Grosheva 6-3, 6-1 to seal the match for Illinois.
* The Panthers are back in action tomorrow at 9 a.m. for the consolation match against New Mexico.
ATHENS, Ga. – The Georgia State women's tennis team dropped its third match of the season 4-2 to Illinois Saturday morning. The Panthers (0-3) battled back to make it 3-2, but the Fighting Illini (1-2) proved too much in the neutral match on UGA's Hopkins Indoor Courts.
Illinois took the doubles point with 6-1 and 6-2 results against GSU pairs of Arina Taluyenko and Tarani Kamoe and Damira Muminović and Kristin Rehse.
Georgia State continued to battle despite trailing 3-1 overall.
Taluyenko and Rehse each turned in dominant performances for the Panthers. The freshman from Kazakhstan performed well to earn her second singles win of the season in straight sets of 6-2, 6-4. Rehse grinded out a victory of her own with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 verdict over Illinois' Louise Kwong.
Despite the Panthers' best efforts in the team's comeback, the Fighting Illini prevailed. Jade Hilton defeated freshman Anastasia Grosheva in straight sets of 6-3, 6-1 to carry Illinois to its first win of the season.
The Fighting Illini advance to the championship match tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET versus host UGA.
The Panthers will seek their first win of the season when they battle New Mexico in the consolation match. First serve is set for 9 a.m.
Illinois 4, Georgia State 2
Singles competition
1. Kristin Rehse (GSU) def. Louise Kwong (ILL) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
2. Alexis Casati (ILL) def. Daniela Ramirez (GSU) 7-5, 6-2
3. Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) def. Lara Vovk (GSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Arina Taluyenko (GSU) def. Madie Baillon (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
5. Damira Muminovic (GSU) vs. Daniela Pedraza Nova (ILL) 6-4, 2-2, unfinished
6. Jade Hilton (ILL) def. Anastasia Grosheva (GSU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #32 Louise Kwong/Ines Vias (ILL) def. Arina Taluyenko/Tarani Kamoe (GSU) 6-1
2. Jaclyn Switkes/Madie Baillon (ILL) def. Damira Muminovic/Kristin Rehse (GSU) 6-2
3. Daniela Ramirez/Anastasia Grosheva (GSU) vs. Daniela Pedraza Nova/Alexis Casati (ILL) 3-5, unfinished
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