Friday, May 12
Berkeley, Calif.
12 p.m.
Northwestern
4
vs
2
Utah State
Wildcats Moving On With 4-2 Win Over Utah State
5/12/2017 4:17:00 PM | Men's Tennis
BERKELEY, Calif. – Northwestern advanced through the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday with a 4-2 win over Utah State at the Hellman Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley.
The Wildcats move on to the Round of 32 for the third straight year and the fourth time in the past five seasons. Northwestern will play the winner of No. 8 overall seed Cal and Tennessee Tech tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT.
"I was pleased with the competitive effort from the guys today," head coach Arvid Swan said. "Utah State is a very good, well-coached team. We are excited to advance in the NCAA tournament and play for an opportunity to make the final site."
The 21st-ranked 'Cats (22-10) went point-for-point with No. 45 Utah State before senior captain Sam Shropshire put the Aggies away with the deciding point at No. 3 singles.
Chicago's Big Ten Team has won four of its last five and eight of its last 11 overall.
Utah State struck first in doubles with a tight 7-5 decision at No. 1 after the teams split victories at Nos. 2 and 3. The Aggies came into the match 18-1 this season when they win the doubles, but the Wildcats quickly regained their footing in singles.
No. 37 Strong Kirchheimer dominated at No. 1, beating Kai Wehnelt, 6-1, 6-2, to improve his record to 27-11. The unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection, with 106 wins in his career, is just one away from moving into a tie for second all-time in program history.
The Aggies got one back at No. 5 to take a 2-1 lead, but No. 67 Konrad Zieba beat Jaime Barajas in straight sets at No. 2 to tie things back up at two. The win was Zieba's fourth in a row and ran his record to 22-10.
With the remaining three matches all in third sets, freshman Dominik Starý put the 'Cats one point away with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win at No. 4. The reigning Big Ten singles champion is 24-9 in his first collegiate season.
Shropshire then pulled out an incredible comeback, finding his way back from down 5-3 in the final frame to win 7-5 and advance Northwestern to the Round of 32.
Northwestern will play at 5 p.m. CT tomorrow evening against either Cal or Tennessee Tech, seeking its first trip to the Round of 16 since 1997.
#21 Northwestern 4, #45 Utah State 2
Singles
No. 1 – #37 Strong Kirchheimer (NU) def. Kai Wehnelt (USU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 – #67 Konrad Zieba (NU) def. Jaime Barajas (USU), 6-1, 6-4
No. 3 – Sam Shropshire (NU) def. Samuel Serrano (USU), 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
No. 4 – Dominik Starý (NU) def. Jack Swindells (USU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
No. 5 – Sergiu Bucur (USU) def. Ben Vandixhorn (NU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 – Jason Seidman (NU) vs. Jonas Maier (USU), 7-5, 5-7, 2-3 (unfinished)
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 2, 4, 3*
Doubles
No. 1 – Jack Swindells / Jonas Maier (USU) def. #80 Sam Shropshire / Konrad Zieba (NU), 7-5*
No. 2 – #53 Strong Kirchheimer / Dominik Starý (NU) def. Samuel Serrano / Kai Wehnelt (USU), 6-2
No. 3 – Andrew Nakajima / Jaime Barajas (USU) def. Chris Ephron / Michael Lorenzini (NU), 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1*
The Wildcats move on to the Round of 32 for the third straight year and the fourth time in the past five seasons. Northwestern will play the winner of No. 8 overall seed Cal and Tennessee Tech tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT.
"I was pleased with the competitive effort from the guys today," head coach Arvid Swan said. "Utah State is a very good, well-coached team. We are excited to advance in the NCAA tournament and play for an opportunity to make the final site."
The 21st-ranked 'Cats (22-10) went point-for-point with No. 45 Utah State before senior captain Sam Shropshire put the Aggies away with the deciding point at No. 3 singles.
Chicago's Big Ten Team has won four of its last five and eight of its last 11 overall.
Utah State struck first in doubles with a tight 7-5 decision at No. 1 after the teams split victories at Nos. 2 and 3. The Aggies came into the match 18-1 this season when they win the doubles, but the Wildcats quickly regained their footing in singles.
No. 37 Strong Kirchheimer dominated at No. 1, beating Kai Wehnelt, 6-1, 6-2, to improve his record to 27-11. The unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection, with 106 wins in his career, is just one away from moving into a tie for second all-time in program history.
The Aggies got one back at No. 5 to take a 2-1 lead, but No. 67 Konrad Zieba beat Jaime Barajas in straight sets at No. 2 to tie things back up at two. The win was Zieba's fourth in a row and ran his record to 22-10.
With the remaining three matches all in third sets, freshman Dominik Starý put the 'Cats one point away with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win at No. 4. The reigning Big Ten singles champion is 24-9 in his first collegiate season.
Shropshire then pulled out an incredible comeback, finding his way back from down 5-3 in the final frame to win 7-5 and advance Northwestern to the Round of 32.
Northwestern will play at 5 p.m. CT tomorrow evening against either Cal or Tennessee Tech, seeking its first trip to the Round of 16 since 1997.
#21 Northwestern 4, #45 Utah State 2
Singles
No. 1 – #37 Strong Kirchheimer (NU) def. Kai Wehnelt (USU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 – #67 Konrad Zieba (NU) def. Jaime Barajas (USU), 6-1, 6-4
No. 3 – Sam Shropshire (NU) def. Samuel Serrano (USU), 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
No. 4 – Dominik Starý (NU) def. Jack Swindells (USU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
No. 5 – Sergiu Bucur (USU) def. Ben Vandixhorn (NU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 – Jason Seidman (NU) vs. Jonas Maier (USU), 7-5, 5-7, 2-3 (unfinished)
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 2, 4, 3*
Doubles
No. 1 – Jack Swindells / Jonas Maier (USU) def. #80 Sam Shropshire / Konrad Zieba (NU), 7-5*
No. 2 – #53 Strong Kirchheimer / Dominik Starý (NU) def. Samuel Serrano / Kai Wehnelt (USU), 6-2
No. 3 – Andrew Nakajima / Jaime Barajas (USU) def. Chris Ephron / Michael Lorenzini (NU), 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1*
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