Northwestern University Athletics
ASU Defeats Wildcats, 5-2, in NCAA Regional Championship
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 16, 1999
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Northwestern fell one match short of the NCAA Sweet 16, as 11th-seeded Arizona State knocked the Wildcats out of contention Sunday afternoon, 5-2. The Sun Devils (14-7) used four singles victories and a win at the No. 1 doubles position for the right to move on to Gainesville, Fla. on May 20.
The two Northwestern points were scored by sophomore Shannon Duffy (Plano, Texas/Plano) and junior Jennifer Lutgert (Evergreen, Colo./Nebraska). Duffy won a two and a half hour match over ASU's Karin Palme at the No. 3 singles position (6-3, 7-6 (8)). Lutgert extended her singles winning streak to 13-straight matches with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph over ASU's Alison Nash at the No. 6 spot. She finished the season with a team- and career-best 30-5 singles record this season.
Freshman Lia Jackson (Milwaukee, Wis./Nicolet) fought a tough three-setter with ASU's Faye DeVera at the No. 5 position. Jackson eventually bowed out (6-7 (6), 6-0, 6-2). It was only her fifth singles loss of the season.
First-year head coach Claire Pollard's team wraps up the 1998-99 season with a 19-5 record. It marks the most amount of wins since the 1987 team finished 22-4. Along the way, Northwestern won its first Big Ten Championship since 1986, and was ranked as high as No. 22 in the country.
Senior Laura Guignon (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph's) and junior Katherine Nasser (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) will play in the NCAA Doubles Championships at the University of Florida on May 24-28.
Singles
1. Allison Bradshaw (ASU) def. Katherine Nasser (NU) 6-2, 6-3 2. Katy Propstra (ASU) def. Laura Guignon (NU) 6-4, 6-2 3. Shannon Duffy (NU) def. Karin Palme (ASU) 6-3, 7-6 (8) 4. Kerry Giardino (ASU) def. Colleen Cheng (NU) 6-1, 6-2 5. Faye DeVera (ASU) def. Lia Jackson (NU) 6-7 (6), 6-0, 6-2 6. Jennifer Lutgert (NU) def. Alison Nash (ASU) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
1. Bradshaw/Propstra (ASU) def. Nasser/Guignon (NU) 8-48-4
