Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
Hawkeyes Take Out Wildcats, 6-1
4/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 18, 2010
Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex)
Score: Iowa 6, Northwestern 1
Records: NU (9-12, 1-7 Big Ten), Iowa (11-8, 3-5 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Friday, April 23 — vs. Ohio State (Combe Tennis Center), 3 p.m.
IOWA CITY, IOWA -- Northwestern took the doubles point and pushed four singles matches to three sets, but the Wildcats were unable to overtake the Iowa Hawkeyes Sunday afternoon at the Hawkeye Recreation Complex. NU returns home for its final regular season homestand next weekend, honoring captain Alex Sanborn (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid) on Senior Day, April 25.
“Winning the doubles was positive for us today,” said head coach Arvid Swan. “The Hawkeyes came out of the break and put themselves in a position to win. Our guys fought hard in every spot in the lineup.”
The Wildcats jumped ahead by sweeping the three doubles matches in convincing fashion. Andrew McCarthy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) and Sidarth Balaji (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) dropped Hawkeyes Nikita Zotov and Garret Dunn at No. 3, 8-4.
Tobias Reitz (Reinbeck, Germany/Sachsenwaldschule Reinbeck) and Sanborn then clinched the point for the 'Cats with an 8-5 victory at No. 2 over Tom Mroziewicz and Marc Bruche. Joshua Graves (Milwaukee, Wis./Nicolet) and Spencer Wolf (Coral Springs, Fla./Laurel Springs) completed the sweep, defeating Will Vasos and Tommy McGeorge at No. 1.
The Hawkeyes went into the singles matches with a vengeance, taking the first set at every spot but No. 5. Bruche was the first off the courts, defeating Graves in straight sets at No. 1, 6-2, 6-2.
Will Vasos was the only other Hawkeye to win in straight sets, defeating Spencer Wolf at No. 3 to give Iowa a 2-1 lead in the dual.
At No. 5, Wildcat captain Sanborn took the first set over Tommy McGeorge, but the Hawkeye took the second set in a breaker before running away with the third, 6-0, to give Iowa a 3-1 lead.
No. 4 singles was also a tight three-setter where Iowa's Reinoud Haal defeated NU's McCarthy. After dropping the first set, the Wildcat junior bounced back to take the second, 6-4. Haal won a hard-fought third set, 7-5, to clinch the match for the Hawkeyes.
Balaji's match at No. 2 was an even closer affair, with Nikita Zotov needing a third set tiebreak to take out the Wildcat freshman. The Hawkeyes' final point came from No. 6 where Austen Kauss defeated Reitz in a match tiebreak, 10-5.
Northwestern returns to action April 23 and 25, hosting Ohio State and Penn State, respectively. The Penn State match will also be Senior Day, honoring Alex Sanborn.
#72 Iowa Hawkeyes 6, #53 Northwestern 1
Singles
1. Marc Bruche (IOWA) def. Joshua Graves (NU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Nikita Zotov (IOWA) def. Sidarth Balaji (NU) 7-6, 3-6, 7-6
3. Will Vasos (IOWA) def. Spencer Wolf (NU) 7-6, 6-4
4. Reinoud Haal (IOWA) def. Andrew McCarthy (NU) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
5. Tommy McGeorge (IOWA) def. Alex Sanborn (NU) 3-6, 7-6, 6-0
6. Austen Kauss (IOWA) def. Tobias Reitz (NU) 7-6, 4-6, 10-5
Doubles
1. Spencer Wolf/Joshua Graves (NU) def. Will Vasos/Tommy McGeorge (IOWA) 8-7
2. Tobias Reitz/Alex Sanborn (NU) def. Tom Mroziewicz/Marc Bruche (IOWA) 8-5
3. Andrew McCarthy/Sidarth Balaji (NU) def. Nikita Zotov/Garret Dunn (IOWA) 8-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,3,5,4,2,6)
