CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.- Arizona's season came to an end Friday morning in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, as the Wildcats fell 4-1 to Illinois at the Virginia Tennis Facility.

Arizona opened the match with a strong showing in doubles. Martyna Ostrzygalo and Midori Castillo-Meza blanked Illinois 6-0 on court two, while Zoya Chulak and Danielle Tuhten followed with a 6-2 victory on court three to secure the point. Court one was left unfinished, with Belen Nevenhoven and Josie Usereau leading 5-2.

Illinois responded in singles, quickly tying the match with a straight-set win on court three. The Illini grabbed a 2-1 lead as McKenna Schaefbauer edged No. 80 Usereau in a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 battle on court one. They extended their advantage with a three-set win on court two, as Megan Heuser defeated No. 102 Castillo-Meza. Kida Ferrari clinched the match on court four, defeating Tuhten 7-5, 2-6, 6-1. Arizona was battling on the remaining courts, with both Tanvi Narendran and Zoya Chulak pushing their matches into deciding sets, but play was halted once the match was decided.

Arizona concludes the 2025 season with a top 30 national ranking after a competitive season in its Big 12 debut.

Results
Doubles (order of finish: 2, 3)
1. Nevenhoven/Usereau (ARIZ) vs. #83 Heuser/Ferrari (ILL) 5-2, unfinished
2. Castillo-Meza/Ostrzygalo (ARIZ) def. Martinez/Xu (ILL) 6-0
3. Chulak/Tuhten (ARIZ) def. Schaefbauer/Treiber (ILL) 6-2


Singles (Order of finish: 3, 1, 2, 4)
1. McKenna Schaefbauer (ILL) def. #80 Usereau (ARIZ) 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
2. Megan Heuser (ILL) def. #102 Castillo-Meza (ARIZ) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
3. Violeta Martinez (ILL) def. Ostrzygalo (ARIZ) 6-4, 6-2
4. Kida Ferrari (ILL) def. Tuhten (ARIZ) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
5. Narendran (ARIZ) vs. Madatali (ILL) 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, unfinished
6. Chulak (ARIZ) vs. Treiber (ILL) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 1-4, unfinished