Northwestern University Athletics
Top-Ranked Northwestern Resumes Big Ten Slate Against Wisconsin
3/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 6, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Top-ranked Northwestern will host the Wisconsin Badgers at 6 p.m. Friday, March 7 at the Combe Tennis Center. The Wildcats have won five consecutive dual matches and look to continue their unbeaten streak in Big Ten action against Wisconsin.
For the first time in program history, the Northwestern women's tennis team (11-1, 2-0) is now the top-ranked team in the nation. This is also the first time any Big Ten program has earned such accolades.
In their last dual, Northwestern defeated eighth-ranked Duke, 5-2. After sweeping doubles from the Blue Devils, freshman Maria Mosolova (Moscow, Russia/No. 204) put the 'Cats up 4-1 and clinched the match with her 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 1.
Wisconsin (4-6, 0-1) will play its second Big Ten match this Friday. The Badgers fell in a close match to Penn State 4-3 on February 17. After winning doubles and taking a 3-2 lead over the Nittany Lions, Wisconsin lost the last two singles points and suffered their first Big Ten defeat this season.
In the previous meeting between these two teams, the Wildcats shutout the Badgers 7-0. Northwestern completed the sweep by taking all three doubles matches and six singles in the competition.
The Wildcats will host Harvard at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 9 at the Combe Tennis Center.
Northwestern Notes
• According to this week's ITA Tennis rankings (3/4/08), Mosolova is the No.4-ranked singles player in the nation. She is followed by Georgia Rose (Mettawa, Ill./North Shore County Day) at No. 6 and Samantha Murray (Altrincham, England/Altrincham Grammar) at No. 20. Sophomore Lauren Lui (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid) also ranks in the Top 50 at No. 45.
• Sophomore Suzie Matzenauer (Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine) has won 19 consecutive matches at the No. 6 position and boasts an impressive 12-0 dual singles record this season.
• The NU women's tennis team has met Wisconsin more than any other opponent in program history. In 55 career meetings, Northwestern is 40-15 all-time against the Badgers. They have only beaten Michigan more times (41) than any other opponent in program history.
