Iowa State tennis lost to Illinois in a 4-0 contest Friday. The Cyclones now fall to 4-2 on the season.

The loss was also the fourth in four matches against the Fighting Illini. The most recent match before Friday was an 8-1 Cyclone loss in 1982.

Despite the blowout, the Cyclones were the ones to strike first. On the No. 1 doubles court, senior Anna Supapitch Kuearum and freshman Cristina Ramos Sierra took down Illinois’ Kida Ferrari and Megan Heuser 6-0.

However, the rest of the doubles matches foreshadowed things to come. Iowa State lost the No. 2 and No. 3 court, both with a score of 6-2. Illinois took the doubles point lead and never gave it back. 

Iowa State freshman Suzanie Pretorius lost first 6-0, 6-4 on the No. 5 singles court. Then Cyclone freshman Gabriela Felix lost 6-0, 6-1 on the No. 6 court. Finally, in a competitive battle on the No. 1 court, No. 70 Kuearum fell 6-2, 6-2.

Although the match scores paint a picture of Illinois dominance, Iowa State kept fighting. In an unfinished match on the No. 2 court, freshman Julia Camblor was up 6-4, 4-3. 

Iowa State freshman Mari Paz Alberto Vilar kept it close before her match was unfinished. On the No. 3 court, she went back and forth 7-6, 1-0.

The Cyclones lost this match to an older, more experienced team. Illinois is unafraid of running the gauntlet, as three of its five losses came against No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 6 UCLA. 

Iowa State plays host to South Dakota at the Iowa State Tennis Facility at 10 a.m. Sunday.