Friday, April 21
Ann Arbor, Mich.
2 p.m.
Northwestern
2
at
4
Michigan
Northwestern Narrowly Clipped By Michigan, 4-2
4/21/2017 5:58:00 PM | Women's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- As has become the norm in recent years, No. 36 Northwestern and No. 10 Michigan locked horns in a tightly contested matchup Friday afternoon at the U-M Varsity Tennis Center. This time, it was the Wolverines who pulled out a narrow 4-2 victory to remain in a first-place tie in the Big Ten.
Doubles play couldn't have been much closer as all three matches went down to the wire. Northwestern went up a break early on all three courts, including in the match at No. 1 where the 16th-ranked team of Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp held off the ninth-ranked duo of Kate Fahey and Alex Najarian for a 6-4 victory.
Michigan came back for a 7-5 win at No. 2, leaving the doubles point to be decided by the matchup at No. 3. The contest went to a tiebreaker where Erin Larner and Brooke Rischbieth held a late 5-3 lead, but Mira Ruder-Hook and Wierda rallied back to win the last four points to give the Wolverines a 1-0 advantage in the match.
Northwestern bounced back from the tough loss to put itself in position to make the comeback by taking the first set in four of the six singles matches. Larner was impressive at No. 1, upsetting 24th-ranked Brienne Minor 6-2, 7-6. However, the Wolverines regained the lead moments later when No. 25 Kate Fahey finished off a win at No. 2.
Alex Chatt pulled NU back to even when she wrapped up her 7-6, 6-2 win over Ruder-Hook at No. 5. All three remaining matches went to a third set leaving the match up for grabs.
Chiara Lommer rallied back from losing her first set to earn a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win to put the Wolverines back in front, 3-2, but the match was still very much there for the taking for the 'Cats.
Needing wins at both Nos. 3 and 6, Northwestern saw Rheeya Doshi take Najarian to a third-set tiebreaker at the third spot. However, the Wolverine pulled it out to clinch the victory for the hosts.
Northwestern (12-10, 8-2 B1G) returns to action at 2:30 p.m. Sunday when it closes out its regular season by hosting Michigan State on Senior Day.
#10 Michigan 4, #36 Northwestern 2
Singles
No. 1 -- Erin Larner (NU) d. #24 Brienne Minor (U-M), 6-2, 7-6 (1)
No. 2 -- # 25 Kate Fahey (U-M) d. Maddie Lipp (NU), 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 -- Alex Najarian (U-M) d. Rheeya Doshi (NU), 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
No. 4 -- Chiara Lommer (U-M) d. Lee Or (NU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 5 -- Alex Chatt (NU) d. Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M), 7-6 (4), 6-2
No. 6 -- Valeria Patiuk (U-M) vs. Jillian Rooney (NU), 4-6, 6-4, 4-2 abandoned
Doubles
No. 1 -- #16 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) d. # 9 Kate Fahey/Alex Najarian (U-M), 6-4
No. 2 -- Chiara Lommer/Brienne Minor (U-M) d. Lee Or/Rheeya Doshi (NU), 7-5
No. 3 -- Annie Wierda/Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) d. #50 Erin Larner/Brooke Rischbieth (NU), 7-6 (5)
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-2-3; Singles 1-2-5-4-3
Doubles play couldn't have been much closer as all three matches went down to the wire. Northwestern went up a break early on all three courts, including in the match at No. 1 where the 16th-ranked team of Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp held off the ninth-ranked duo of Kate Fahey and Alex Najarian for a 6-4 victory.
Michigan came back for a 7-5 win at No. 2, leaving the doubles point to be decided by the matchup at No. 3. The contest went to a tiebreaker where Erin Larner and Brooke Rischbieth held a late 5-3 lead, but Mira Ruder-Hook and Wierda rallied back to win the last four points to give the Wolverines a 1-0 advantage in the match.
Northwestern bounced back from the tough loss to put itself in position to make the comeback by taking the first set in four of the six singles matches. Larner was impressive at No. 1, upsetting 24th-ranked Brienne Minor 6-2, 7-6. However, the Wolverines regained the lead moments later when No. 25 Kate Fahey finished off a win at No. 2.
Alex Chatt pulled NU back to even when she wrapped up her 7-6, 6-2 win over Ruder-Hook at No. 5. All three remaining matches went to a third set leaving the match up for grabs.
Chiara Lommer rallied back from losing her first set to earn a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win to put the Wolverines back in front, 3-2, but the match was still very much there for the taking for the 'Cats.
Needing wins at both Nos. 3 and 6, Northwestern saw Rheeya Doshi take Najarian to a third-set tiebreaker at the third spot. However, the Wolverine pulled it out to clinch the victory for the hosts.
Northwestern (12-10, 8-2 B1G) returns to action at 2:30 p.m. Sunday when it closes out its regular season by hosting Michigan State on Senior Day.
#10 Michigan 4, #36 Northwestern 2
Singles
No. 1 -- Erin Larner (NU) d. #24 Brienne Minor (U-M), 6-2, 7-6 (1)
No. 2 -- # 25 Kate Fahey (U-M) d. Maddie Lipp (NU), 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 -- Alex Najarian (U-M) d. Rheeya Doshi (NU), 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
No. 4 -- Chiara Lommer (U-M) d. Lee Or (NU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 5 -- Alex Chatt (NU) d. Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M), 7-6 (4), 6-2
No. 6 -- Valeria Patiuk (U-M) vs. Jillian Rooney (NU), 4-6, 6-4, 4-2 abandoned
Doubles
No. 1 -- #16 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) d. # 9 Kate Fahey/Alex Najarian (U-M), 6-4
No. 2 -- Chiara Lommer/Brienne Minor (U-M) d. Lee Or/Rheeya Doshi (NU), 7-5
No. 3 -- Annie Wierda/Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) d. #50 Erin Larner/Brooke Rischbieth (NU), 7-6 (5)
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-2-3; Singles 1-2-5-4-3
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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