Northwestern
Penn State
Wildcats Dominate Penn State to Start Conference Play
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern women's tennis team won its Big Ten opener 4-3 over Penn State Saturday behind three dominant singles efforts from Alicia Barnett, Erin Larner and Alex Chatt.
Barnett kicked things off in singles play with a convincing 6-2, 6-0 win over Victoria Kisialeva at No. 1. The victory is Barnett's first in a dual match this season.
The freshman Larner continued her strong start to the year with a 6-2, 6-2 effort at the second singles spot over Katia Blik. Larner is 3-1 in 2015 with wins at the second, third and fourth singles positions.
With the Wildcats firmly in control, fellow freshman Chatt clinched the conference win for NU with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 5 over Devan McCluskey. Chatt is 4-0 in that spot in 2015 and has won all eight sets she has played.
Chicago's Big Ten Team improved to 2-2 (1-0) with the win.
"I think we came out firing in singles, and I was pleased as a coach to see the battle face," Assistant Coach Rob Gurden said after the match. "We talk about trying to get their nose bloody and knock out some teeth, and I think we had a little bit of that today."
Northwestern won the doubles point with a pair of solid showings at Nos. 2 and 3. After No. 50 Rischbieth and Barnett came just shy of a big win over 34th-ranked Kisialeva and Sapogova, Chatt and Leung won a decisive 8-5 decision over Jacqueline Zuhse and Katherine Whiteaway. With all eyes focused on the match at No. 2 that would decide the overall match's first point Peri and Larner finished off Surin and McCluskey by an 8-5 score.
Penn State's three points came from an injury forfeit and two defaults with the win already secured for Northwestern.
The Wildcats are back in action Sunday with a scheduled non-conference match against No. 33 Purdue. The opening serve will take place at 11 a.m. inside the Combe Tennis Center.
Results
Singles
No. 1 - Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Victoria Kisialeva (PSU), 6-2, 6-0
No. 2 - Erin Larner (NU) def. Katia Blik (PSU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 - Dasha Sapogova (PSU) def. Manon Peri (NU), 3-4 (medical forfeit)
No. 4 - Kimberley-Ann Surin (PSU) def. Lok Sze Leung (NU), 5-7, ret.
No. 5 - Alex Chatt (NU) def. Devan McCluskey (PSU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 - Samantha Tutelman (PSU) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU), 4-6, 2-1, ret.
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2, 5*,
Doubles
No. 1 - Kisialeva/Sapogova (PSU) def. Rischbieth/Barnett (NU), 8-6
No. 2 - Peri/Larner (NU) def. Surin/McCluskey (PSU), 8-5
No. 3 - Chatt/Leung (NU) def. Zuhse/Whiteaway (PSU), 8-5
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2*
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