Wednesday, March 23
Waco, Texas
5 p.m.
Northwestern
2
at
4
Baylor
Northwestern Clipped by Baylor 4-2 in Texas Opener
3/23/2016 7:36:00 PM | Women's Tennis
WACO, Texas -- No. 36 Northwestern was edged by No. 66 Baylor 4-2 Wednesday evening at Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center. The match was the first of three over a six-day span for the Wildcats in the state of Texas.
The Bears (7-11) jumped in front by winning the doubles point. Baylor got a win at No. 1 in a battle of ranked teams as No. 15 Blair Shankle and Kiah Generette defeated the Wildcats' 40th-ranked team of No. 40 40 Erin Larner and Alicia Barnett before Rhiann Newborn and Karina Traxler clinched the point for Baylor with a win at No. 3.
Northwestern shook off the slow start by getting back in the match thanks to the middle of its singles lineup. At No. 3, Barnett was a straight-set winner over Kiah Generette as the senior notched a 6-2, 6-4 victory to even the match. The hosts went back in front when Blair Shankle posted a win at No. 1, but Alex Chatt put the Wildcats up 2-1 with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Kelley Anderson at No. 4.
Baylor went up 3-2 with Theresa Van Zyl's victory at No. 6, but each of the final two matches on the courts were up for grabs. At No. 5, Jillian Rooney bounced back from losing her first set to Traxler (6-3) to take the second 6-2 and held a 3-0 lead in the decisive third set. However, the match was decided at No. 2. Maddie Lipp, ranked No. 40, dropped her first set to Newborn and needed to win a second-set tiebreaker to force a third set, but the Bears' junior finished off a 6-4, 7-6 (3) win to give Baylor the match victory.
Northwestern (5-6) returns to action Friday when it takes on No. 13 Texas Tech in Lubbock.
#66 Baylor 4, #36 Northwestern 2
Doubles
1. #15 Blair Shankle/Kiah Generette (BU) def. #40 Erin Larner/Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-0
2. #20 Maddie Lipp/Alex Chatt (NU) def. Elizabeth Profit/Theresa Van Zyl (BU) 5-2
3. Rhiann Newborn/Karina Traxler (BU) def. Brooke Rischbieth/Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 3*
Singles
1. Blair Shankle (BU) def. #81 Erin Larner (NU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Rhiann Newborn (BU) def. #40 Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Kiah Generette (BU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Kelley Anderson (BU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Karina Traxler (BU) vs. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-3, 2-6, 0-3, unfinished
6. Theresa Van Zyl (BU) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 1, 4, 6, 2*
The Bears (7-11) jumped in front by winning the doubles point. Baylor got a win at No. 1 in a battle of ranked teams as No. 15 Blair Shankle and Kiah Generette defeated the Wildcats' 40th-ranked team of No. 40 40 Erin Larner and Alicia Barnett before Rhiann Newborn and Karina Traxler clinched the point for Baylor with a win at No. 3.
Northwestern shook off the slow start by getting back in the match thanks to the middle of its singles lineup. At No. 3, Barnett was a straight-set winner over Kiah Generette as the senior notched a 6-2, 6-4 victory to even the match. The hosts went back in front when Blair Shankle posted a win at No. 1, but Alex Chatt put the Wildcats up 2-1 with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Kelley Anderson at No. 4.
Baylor went up 3-2 with Theresa Van Zyl's victory at No. 6, but each of the final two matches on the courts were up for grabs. At No. 5, Jillian Rooney bounced back from losing her first set to Traxler (6-3) to take the second 6-2 and held a 3-0 lead in the decisive third set. However, the match was decided at No. 2. Maddie Lipp, ranked No. 40, dropped her first set to Newborn and needed to win a second-set tiebreaker to force a third set, but the Bears' junior finished off a 6-4, 7-6 (3) win to give Baylor the match victory.
Northwestern (5-6) returns to action Friday when it takes on No. 13 Texas Tech in Lubbock.
#66 Baylor 4, #36 Northwestern 2
Doubles
1. #15 Blair Shankle/Kiah Generette (BU) def. #40 Erin Larner/Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-0
2. #20 Maddie Lipp/Alex Chatt (NU) def. Elizabeth Profit/Theresa Van Zyl (BU) 5-2
3. Rhiann Newborn/Karina Traxler (BU) def. Brooke Rischbieth/Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 3*
Singles
1. Blair Shankle (BU) def. #81 Erin Larner (NU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Rhiann Newborn (BU) def. #40 Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Alicia Barnett (NU) def. Kiah Generette (BU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Kelley Anderson (BU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Karina Traxler (BU) vs. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-3, 2-6, 0-3, unfinished
6. Theresa Van Zyl (BU) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 1, 4, 6, 2*
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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