Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
ITA Regional Main Draw
Grier, Rush Win ITA Midwest Doubles Title
10/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Oct. 27, 2003
2003 ITA Midwest Championships Doubles Results
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KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Cristelle Grier (Surrey, England/Putney) and Jessica Rush (Dallas, Texas/The Hockaday School) made a rainy day become bright at the Western Michigan-run ITA Midwest Championships.
The top-seeded doubles team never allowed more than five games in each of their six victories en route to beating Illinois' third-seeded Cynthya Goulet and Jennifer McGaffigan 8-3 for the championship.
"It is very exciting for Rush and Grier to take another step forward in their development," said head coach Claire Pollard. "Winning this title shows they can step up in big moments."
Grier, a sophomore, and Rush, a senior, controlled the tempo of the final, which was a partial rematch of last year's championship that saw Illinois' McGaffigan and Michelle Webb nip NU's Grier and Marine Piriou 9-8 (4).
"Illinois is an excellent team; they won against us last year," said Pollard. "I think we did a great job taking advantage of the opportunities that we had to win this time."
In singles action today, Grier advanced to Tuesday's championship match by routing Notre Dame's Christian Thompson 6-0, 6-2, then edging McGaffigan 6-4, 6-3.
Rush, on the other hand, was unable to set up an all-Wildcat final. In the quarterfinals, she easily handled Indiana's Dora Vastag 6-3, 6-1, but then in the semifinals, she fell to Notre Dame's No. 2 seed Alicia Salas 6-3, 6-3.
Grier and Salas will play at 8 a.m. (Central) tomorrow, which will be the last match of the six-day tournament.
