Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan State
Freshmen Lead Northwestern Past Michigan State
3/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- No. 27 Northwestern got three victories from freshmen in singles play in handing No. 37 Michigan State its first Big Ten loss of the season 5-2 Sunday afternoon.
The Spartans entered the match with a 16-2 overall mark, including a 5-0 record in league play, but NU (8-5, 3-2 Big Ten) bounced back nicely from a loss at Michigan on Saturday.
The Wildcats started out strongly in the match by getting wins at Nos. 1 and 2 to claim the doubles point. At the top spot, the duo of Alicia Barnett and Erin Larner took care of business as they rolled to an 8-2 win over Allie Baer and Erin Faulkner.
Meanwhile at No. 2, Rheeya Doshi and Brooke Rischbieth defeated Catherine Parenteau and Athena Trouillot by a score of 8-5 to put Northwestern up 1-0 in the match.
The 'Cats carried the momentum into singles play behind a pair of freshmen. At No. 4, Alex Chatt wasted little time in disposing of Parenteau, 6-2, 6-1. Doshi also got the job done in straight sets against Trouillot at No. 5, winning 6-3, 6-2 and bringing NU within one victory of the match win in the process.
Michigan State got on the board with a victory by Faulkner at the No. 1 spot while all three remaining matches went to a decisive third set.
Larner had the honor of clinching the match for Northwestern as she made the Wildcats' freshmen 3-for-3 in doubles play, rallying back for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 2 over Lexi Baylis.
NU got one more win for good measure with senior Lok Sze Leung defeating Aslina Chua 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 at No. 3. MSU's Emily Meyers outlasted Jillian Rooney in the most tightly contested match of the day at No. 6, winning in a third-set tiebreaker to wrap up the competition.
Northwestern is back in action at home next weekend as it hosts Rutgers on Saturday and Maryland on Sunday. Both matches are slated for 11 a.m. starts.
Singles
No. 1 - Erin Faulkner (MSU) def. Alicia Barnett (NU), 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Erin Larner (NU) def. Lexi Baylis (MSU), 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
No. 3 - Lok Sze Leung (NU) def. Aslina Chua (MSU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
No. 4 - Alex Chatt (NU) def. Catherine Parenteau (MSU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 5 - Rheeya Doshi (NU) def. Athena Trouillot (MSU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 - Emily Meyers (MSU) def. Jillian Rooney (NU), 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
Doubles
No. 1 - Alicia Barnett / Erin Larner (NU) def. Allie Baer / Erin Faulkner (MSU), 8-2
No. 2 - Rheeya Doshi / Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Catherine Parenteau / Athena Trouillot (MSU), 8-5
No. 3 - Lexi Baylis / Emily Meyers (MSU) led Alex Chatt / Lok Sze Leung (NU), 6-4 (abandoned)
Order of Completion: Doubles 1, 2*; Singles 4, 5, 1, 2*, 3, 6
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