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Illinois Advances to NCAA Men's Tennis Championship Final
May 21, 2007
Illinois upset its third top-10 opponent in as many matches with a thrilling 4-3 win over No. 3 Baylor to reach the finals of the NCAA Championships on Tuesday, May 22, at 3 p.m. (EST). Despite counting a 4-0 setback against the Bears during the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in February, Illinois was able to reverse its fate by capturing the doubles point for an early lead. Junior Ryan Rowe clinched the victory with a hard-fought, three-set triumph over Baylors' 19th-ranked Michael Kotka in the No. 2 singles match. The No. 10 Illinois, who won the national title in 2003, awaits the winner of top-seeded Georgia vesus Virgina, which is currently underway at the University of Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. In the round of 16 on Thursday, Illnois' fifth-ranked Kevin Anderson sealed the 4-3 comeback victory over No. 7 Ole Miss before the Illini surprised conference rival No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday. In the teams' third clash of the season, the Blue and Orange finally pulled off their biggest win of the season with a 4-2 defeat of the Big Ten Champion Buckeyes, who had allowed the Illini only one point in the previous two meetings.
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