CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 30 Northwestern got its NCAA tournament run off on the right foot Friday, posting a 4-0 win over 42nd-ranked Mississippi at the University of North Carolina.
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With the victory the Wildcats (14-10) advance to Saturday's second round where they'll face third-seeded North Carolina, a 4-0 winner over ETSU on Friday.
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NU got off to a good start on Friday by taking the always-important doubles point from the Rebels. The top spot in the lineup featured a pair of top-30 teams. The Wildcats'Â 28th-ranked duo of Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp pulled away from the 25th-ranked team of Arianne Hartono and Mai El Kamash for a 6-3 victory.
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At the No. 2 spot in the lineup, Alicia Barnett and Brooke Rischbieth clinched the point for NU by earning a 6-4 win over Zalina Khairudinova and Marija Milutinovic.
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Northwestern carried that momentum into singles play. A light rain forced play to be suspended early on, but the 'Cats managed to win the first set in five of the six matches.
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Chatt was the first Wildcat to clinch her match as she dominated her second set to earn a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Allie Sanford at No. 4. Minutes later, Barnett finished off a 7-6, 6-4 win over Khairudinova at No. 3, bringing Northwestern within one point of the match victory.
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Rischbieth had the honor of clinching the match for NU by closing out Brooke Stevens for a 7-6, 6-3 win at No. 6, allowing the Wildcats to advance to the round of 32.
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#30 Northwestern 4, #42 Mississippi 0
Doubles
1. #28 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #25 Arianne Hartono/Mai El Kamash (MISS) 6-3
2. Alicia Barnett/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Zalina Khairudinova/Marija Milutinovic (MISS) 6-4
3. Jillian Rooney/Erin Larner (NU) vs. Allie Sanford/Brooke Stevens (MISS) 6-5 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 1, 2*
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Singles
1. #95 Erin Larner (NU) vs. #33 Arianne Hartono (MISS) 6-3, 3-6, 4-2 (unfinished)
2. #52 Maddie Lipp (NU) vs. #103 Mai El Kamash (MISS) 6-4, 5-7, 3-0 (unfinished)
3. Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Zalina Khairudinova (MISS) 7-6, 6-4
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Allie Sanford (MISS) 6-4, 6-1
5. Jillian Rooney (NU) vs. Marija Milutinovic (MISS) 4-6, 6-6 (unfinished)
6. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Brooke Stevens (MISS) 7-6, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 3, 6*
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With the victory the Wildcats (14-10) advance to Saturday's second round where they'll face third-seeded North Carolina, a 4-0 winner over ETSU on Friday.
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NU got off to a good start on Friday by taking the always-important doubles point from the Rebels. The top spot in the lineup featured a pair of top-30 teams. The Wildcats'Â 28th-ranked duo of Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp pulled away from the 25th-ranked team of Arianne Hartono and Mai El Kamash for a 6-3 victory.
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At the No. 2 spot in the lineup, Alicia Barnett and Brooke Rischbieth clinched the point for NU by earning a 6-4 win over Zalina Khairudinova and Marija Milutinovic.
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Northwestern carried that momentum into singles play. A light rain forced play to be suspended early on, but the 'Cats managed to win the first set in five of the six matches.
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Chatt was the first Wildcat to clinch her match as she dominated her second set to earn a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Allie Sanford at No. 4. Minutes later, Barnett finished off a 7-6, 6-4 win over Khairudinova at No. 3, bringing Northwestern within one point of the match victory.
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Rischbieth had the honor of clinching the match for NU by closing out Brooke Stevens for a 7-6, 6-3 win at No. 6, allowing the Wildcats to advance to the round of 32.
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#30 Northwestern 4, #42 Mississippi 0
Doubles
1. #28 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #25 Arianne Hartono/Mai El Kamash (MISS) 6-3
2. Alicia Barnett/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Zalina Khairudinova/Marija Milutinovic (MISS) 6-4
3. Jillian Rooney/Erin Larner (NU) vs. Allie Sanford/Brooke Stevens (MISS) 6-5 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 1, 2*
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Singles
1. #95 Erin Larner (NU) vs. #33 Arianne Hartono (MISS) 6-3, 3-6, 4-2 (unfinished)
2. #52 Maddie Lipp (NU) vs. #103 Mai El Kamash (MISS) 6-4, 5-7, 3-0 (unfinished)
3. Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Zalina Khairudinova (MISS) 7-6, 6-4
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Allie Sanford (MISS) 6-4, 6-1
5. Jillian Rooney (NU) vs. Marija Milutinovic (MISS) 4-6, 6-6 (unfinished)
6. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Brooke Stevens (MISS) 7-6, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 3, 6*