Friday, April 22
Evanston, Ill.
3 p.m.
Northwestern
4
vs
3
Michigan
Northwestern Snaps Michigan's 37-Match B1G Win Streak
4/22/2016 7:16:00 PM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 39 Northwestern snapped 10th-ranked Michigan's 37-match Big Ten regular-season winning streak as redshirt sophomore Maddie Lipp's dramatic three-set victory gave the Wildcats a 4-3 win Friday afternoon at Combe Tennis Center.
NU surged out to a 3-0 lead in the match, but Michigan stormed back with three straight singles wins to tie the match, leaving things to be decided by a matchup of ranked players at the No. 2 spot.
With the match knotted at a set apiece, 18th-ranked freshman Brienne Minor jumped ahead of 60th-ranked Lipp 4-1 in the decisive third set. However, Lipp refused to go away, breaking Minor's serve twice to go up 5-4. It appeared Minor would tie the set as she was up 40-love on her serve, but Lipp rallied back to win four straight points and earn the victory for Northwestern.
The matchup between Lipp and Minor was a rematch of the singles final of ITA Midwest Regional back in Ann Arbor back in October. Minor won that matchup by a narrow 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) margin.
Northwestern had beaten Michigan in the Big Ten tournament in 2013 and 2014, but the Wolverines hadn't lost a regular-season conference match since March 31, 2013 when it dropped a 5-2 decision to Indiana.
The loss knocked Michigan out of a first-place tie with Ohio State in the Big Ten standings and into a tie for second place with Northwestern (9-1).
The Wildcats came out of the gates on fire, dominating a pair of matches to take the doubles point. In a matchup of ranked duos at No. 1, the 28th-ranked team of Lipp and Alex Chatt had little trouble with No. 41 Kate Fahey and Brienne Minor, winning 6-2.
Meanwhile at No. 3, Erin Larner and Jillian Rooney dominated Ronit Yurovsky and Sara Remynse as the Northwestern pair also posted a 6-2 victory to put the hosts up 1-0 in the match.
The 'Cats carried the momentum into singles play. Brooke Rischbieth was the first individual to finish her singles match as she took down Remynse 6-2, 6-3 at No. 6. When Rooney finished off Mira Ruder-Hook 6-1, 6-4 at No. 5, Northwestern had a 3-0 lead in the match.
However, the remaining four matches on the courts were up for grabs and Michigan came back to tie the match with wins at Nos. 1, 3 and 4 before Lipp's heroics earned the victory for Northwestern.
The win was the first for the Wildcats over a top-10 opponent since a 4-2 win over second-ranked Florida on Feb. 8, 2014.
Northwestern wraps up its regular season at 11 a.m. Central time Sunday when it takes on Michigan State in East Lansing.
#39 Northwestern 4, #10 Michigan 3
Doubles
1. #28 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #41 Kate Fahey/Brienne Minor (UM) 6-2
2. Alicia Barnett/Brooke Rischbieth vs. Mira Ruder-Hook/Alex Najarian (UM) 5-3 (unfinished)
3. Jillian Rooney/Erin Larner (NU) def. Ronit Yurovsky/Sara Remynse (UM) 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3*
Singles
1. #15 Ronit Yurovsky (UM) def. #88 Erin Larner (NU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. #60 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #18 Brienne Minor (UM) 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-4
3. #69 Kate Fahey (UM) def. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Alex Najarian (UM) def. def. Alex Chatt (NU) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
5. Jillian Rooney (NU) def. Mira Ruder-Hook (UM) 6-1, 6-4
6. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Sara Remynse (UM) 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 5, 3, 4, 1, 2*
NU surged out to a 3-0 lead in the match, but Michigan stormed back with three straight singles wins to tie the match, leaving things to be decided by a matchup of ranked players at the No. 2 spot.
With the match knotted at a set apiece, 18th-ranked freshman Brienne Minor jumped ahead of 60th-ranked Lipp 4-1 in the decisive third set. However, Lipp refused to go away, breaking Minor's serve twice to go up 5-4. It appeared Minor would tie the set as she was up 40-love on her serve, but Lipp rallied back to win four straight points and earn the victory for Northwestern.
The matchup between Lipp and Minor was a rematch of the singles final of ITA Midwest Regional back in Ann Arbor back in October. Minor won that matchup by a narrow 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) margin.
Northwestern had beaten Michigan in the Big Ten tournament in 2013 and 2014, but the Wolverines hadn't lost a regular-season conference match since March 31, 2013 when it dropped a 5-2 decision to Indiana.
The loss knocked Michigan out of a first-place tie with Ohio State in the Big Ten standings and into a tie for second place with Northwestern (9-1).
The Wildcats came out of the gates on fire, dominating a pair of matches to take the doubles point. In a matchup of ranked duos at No. 1, the 28th-ranked team of Lipp and Alex Chatt had little trouble with No. 41 Kate Fahey and Brienne Minor, winning 6-2.
Meanwhile at No. 3, Erin Larner and Jillian Rooney dominated Ronit Yurovsky and Sara Remynse as the Northwestern pair also posted a 6-2 victory to put the hosts up 1-0 in the match.
The 'Cats carried the momentum into singles play. Brooke Rischbieth was the first individual to finish her singles match as she took down Remynse 6-2, 6-3 at No. 6. When Rooney finished off Mira Ruder-Hook 6-1, 6-4 at No. 5, Northwestern had a 3-0 lead in the match.
However, the remaining four matches on the courts were up for grabs and Michigan came back to tie the match with wins at Nos. 1, 3 and 4 before Lipp's heroics earned the victory for Northwestern.
The win was the first for the Wildcats over a top-10 opponent since a 4-2 win over second-ranked Florida on Feb. 8, 2014.
Northwestern wraps up its regular season at 11 a.m. Central time Sunday when it takes on Michigan State in East Lansing.
#39 Northwestern 4, #10 Michigan 3
Doubles
1. #28 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #41 Kate Fahey/Brienne Minor (UM) 6-2
2. Alicia Barnett/Brooke Rischbieth vs. Mira Ruder-Hook/Alex Najarian (UM) 5-3 (unfinished)
3. Jillian Rooney/Erin Larner (NU) def. Ronit Yurovsky/Sara Remynse (UM) 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3*
Singles
1. #15 Ronit Yurovsky (UM) def. #88 Erin Larner (NU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. #60 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #18 Brienne Minor (UM) 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-4
3. #69 Kate Fahey (UM) def. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Alex Najarian (UM) def. def. Alex Chatt (NU) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
5. Jillian Rooney (NU) def. Mira Ruder-Hook (UM) 6-1, 6-4
6. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Sara Remynse (UM) 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 5, 3, 4, 1, 2*
••••••
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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