Friday, March 2
Champaign, Ill.
2 p.m.
Northwestern
4
at
3
Illinois
'Cats Take Down Fifth-Ranked Illinois in Big Ten Opener
3/2/2018 5:11:00 PM | Women's Tennis
URBANA, Ill. -- No. 14 Northwestern took down fifth-ranked Illinois for the 18th straight meeting, winning 4-3 Friday afternoon at Atkins Tennis Center.
The contest was the Big Ten opener for the Wildcats (7-3, 1-0 B1G).
The host Fighting Illini (10-2, 1-1 B1G) were able to rally to earn the doubles point, despite NU getting a convincing win at No. 1 from the nation's second-ranked doubles team of Erin Larner and Maddie Lipp who posted a 6-1 win.
Northwestern rallied back from the early deficit with strong play in singles. The 'Cats took the first set in four of the six matches. Lipp, who is ranked 65th, was dominant in her match at No. 3, earning a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
After a dominant first set at No. 1, 85th-ranked Larner dropped her second set to Asuka Kawai before returning to form in the third to notch a 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 win that gave NU a 2-1 lead. Illinois evened the match with a win at No. 5, but Alex Chatt closed out Emilee Duong in straight set at No. 4, 7-5, 6-4, bringing Northwestern within one match of the win.
In a battle of ranked players at No. 2, 88th-ranked Lee Or dropped her opening set to 79th-ranked Jaclyn Switkes but rallied back to earn a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory that gave the 'Cats the match victory.
Northwestern returns to action at 11 a.m. Sunday when it opens the home portion of its Big Ten season by taking on Iowa at Combe Tennis Center.
#14 Northwestern 4, #5 Illinois 3
Doubles
1. #2 Erin Larner/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. Emilee Duong/Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) 6-1
2. Sasha Belaya/Daniela Novak (ILL) def. #13 Alex Chatt/Lee Or (NU) 7-6 (7-1)
3. Asuka Kawai/Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) def. Julie Byrne/Rheeya Doshi (NU) 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2*
Singles
1. #85 Erin Larner (NU) def. Asuka Kawai (ILL) 6-1, 3-6, 6-0
2. #88 Lee Or (NU) def. #79 Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
3. #65 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Emilee Duong (ILL) 7-5, 6-4
5. Daniela Novak (ILL) def. Inci Ogut (NU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
6. Sasha Belaya (ILL) def. Julie Byrne (NU) 4-6, 6-3, 2-2, forfeit
Order of finish: 3, 1, 5, 4, 2*, 6
The contest was the Big Ten opener for the Wildcats (7-3, 1-0 B1G).
The host Fighting Illini (10-2, 1-1 B1G) were able to rally to earn the doubles point, despite NU getting a convincing win at No. 1 from the nation's second-ranked doubles team of Erin Larner and Maddie Lipp who posted a 6-1 win.
Northwestern rallied back from the early deficit with strong play in singles. The 'Cats took the first set in four of the six matches. Lipp, who is ranked 65th, was dominant in her match at No. 3, earning a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
After a dominant first set at No. 1, 85th-ranked Larner dropped her second set to Asuka Kawai before returning to form in the third to notch a 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 win that gave NU a 2-1 lead. Illinois evened the match with a win at No. 5, but Alex Chatt closed out Emilee Duong in straight set at No. 4, 7-5, 6-4, bringing Northwestern within one match of the win.
In a battle of ranked players at No. 2, 88th-ranked Lee Or dropped her opening set to 79th-ranked Jaclyn Switkes but rallied back to earn a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory that gave the 'Cats the match victory.
Northwestern returns to action at 11 a.m. Sunday when it opens the home portion of its Big Ten season by taking on Iowa at Combe Tennis Center.
#14 Northwestern 4, #5 Illinois 3
Doubles
1. #2 Erin Larner/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. Emilee Duong/Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) 6-1
2. Sasha Belaya/Daniela Novak (ILL) def. #13 Alex Chatt/Lee Or (NU) 7-6 (7-1)
3. Asuka Kawai/Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) def. Julie Byrne/Rheeya Doshi (NU) 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2*
Singles
1. #85 Erin Larner (NU) def. Asuka Kawai (ILL) 6-1, 3-6, 6-0
2. #88 Lee Or (NU) def. #79 Jaclyn Switkes (ILL) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
3. #65 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. Mia Rabinowitz (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Emilee Duong (ILL) 7-5, 6-4
5. Daniela Novak (ILL) def. Inci Ogut (NU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
6. Sasha Belaya (ILL) def. Julie Byrne (NU) 4-6, 6-3, 2-2, forfeit
Order of finish: 3, 1, 5, 4, 2*, 6
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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