Tennis team reaches final

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Brad Dancer's Illinois men's squad is playing its best tennis of the season, the coach said, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

The 14th-ranked Illini will face third-ranked Ohio State today in the Big Ten tournament finals after bouncing Indiana 5-0 on Saturday in the semifinals.

"I think we performed better today than we have this year," Dancer said. "Tomorrow we will have a chance to prove it. I've been asking our guys to go out and play with more of a killer instinct and more of a hunger for the win, and today I thought we did a good job of that in singles and doubles. If we keep doing that, then we will play better tennis down the stretch."

The Buckeyes (31-1), the three-time defending tournament champions and regular season titlists, have handled Illinois (21-7) in previous matches this season, but Dancer said his strategy is simple today.

"We need to play with great intensity," the UI coach said.

That wasn't a problem Saturday against the Hoosiers.

Dennis Nevolo and Ruan Roelofse downed Indiana's Jeremy Langer and Santiago Gruter 8-3 at No. 1 doubles. Marc Spicijaric and Marek Czerwinski earned a victory at No. 2 doubles, topping Indiana's Lachlan Ferguson and Stephen Vogl 8-4.

In singles, Abe Souza, Brian Livingston, Czerwinski and Nevolo posted victories.

Ohio State earned its spot in the finals after defeating fourth-seeded Michigan 4-1.

In softball:

Illini stun Wildcats. Designated player Katrina Ross capped Illinois' 10-8 home victory against highly ranked Northwestern with a two-run walkoff home run.

Hollie Pinchback hit a grand slam and drove in five runs for the Illini (25-14, 8-6 Big Ten).

Monica Perry (20-12) went the distance, striking out eight.

"Our team really hung in there," UI coach Terri Sullivan said after her club topped the Wildcats, who are ranked seventh in one poll and 11th in another.

In women's tennis:

Squad bows out. The doubles point proved to be the difference for No. 34 Illinois in its 4-3 loss to No. 18 Michigan at the Big Ten tournament semifinals in Madison, Wis.

"The girls went out and laid it all out on the line this afternoon," UI coach Michelle Dasso said. "I couldn't be more proud of this team and the effort they showed. Ultimately, it came down to the doubles point and that's been a common characteristic in all of our 4-3 losses this season. The doubles point can make a huge difference in the end."

In singles, Megan Fudge, Leigh Finnegan and Kristina Minor earned victories for the Illini (18-7).

In women's track & field:

Brown victorious. Senior Deserea Brown won the 400-meter hurdles at the Drake Relays, clocking 58.68 seconds.

"We had a strong meet overall," Illini coach Tonja Buford-Bailey said. "Next year we will bring our full team, and it should be even better."

In men's track & field:

Riley breaks record. Freshman Andrew Riley broke the school record in the 110 hurdles, finishing in 13.61 to place second at the Drake Relays.

Riley topped Sherman Armstrong's mark of 13.72, which was set in 2000.

"Riley ran a heck of a race," UI coach Wayne Angel said. "It was a battle all the way to the finish, but he was beat out by (Stanford senior Myles Bradley)."

Bradley was timed in 13.56.

In baseball:

Argo keys win. Freshman designated hitter Willie Argo homered twice and had five RBI, powering Illinois (25-12, 10-4) to an 11-5 victory against host Penn State.

Will Strack was solid in six-plus innings.

Casey McMurray went 4 for 5, and John Anderson earned his second save.

"I was pleased with the effort Will gave us on the mound, and John did a nice job out of the bullpen," Illini coach Dan Hartleb said. "And offensively, we jumped out to an early lead and kept tacking on runs, which is something we talk about a lot. We hit up and down the order, so this was a great team win."

In women's golf:

Freshman shows way. UI freshman Nora Lucas (233) was tied for sixth heading to the final round of the Big Ten Championship after a 4-over-par 76 in West Lafayette, Ind.

Illinois, which tallied 325, was in 10th after the third round.

Lucas moved up five spots after her second consecutive 76.

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