'Cats Advance in NCAA Tourney with 4-1 Win Over Mississippi State

5/13/2017 2:11:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Nick Brilowski

Results (PDF)

ATLANTA -- No. 39 Northwestern sprung a first-round upset in the NCAA tournament Saturday, taking down No. 18 Mississippi State, 4-1, in a match played on the campus of Georgia Tech. It is the 14th straight year that the Wildcats have won their opening-round match in the NCAA tournament.

With the win, the 'Cats (15-11) advance to Sunday's second round where they'll take on host eighth-ranked Georgia Tech, a 4-0 winner over Alabama State in Saturday's second match.

Northwestern got off to a terrific start in doubles play as the teams at Nos. 1 and 3 both surged out to early leads. The duo of Rheeya Doshi and Jillian Rooney at No. 3 cruised throughout their matchup, defeating Jennifer Brown and Khrystyna Vozniak, 6-2. NU's team of Erin Larner and Lee Or fell behind 3-0 early on but dominated the rest of the way, winning 6-3 to put Northwestern in front 1-0 in the match.

Northwestern caught a big break in singles play when seventh-ranked Jasmine Lee was bumped from the top spot in the Bulldogs' lineup. The 'Cats took advantage, particularly at the top of the lineup. Larner had no trouble with Lee's replacement at No. 1, Lisa Marie Rioux, dominating to the tune of a 6-0, 6-1 win to increase NU's lead to 2-0.

Maddie Lipp followed suit at No. 2 where she didn't allow a game to 113th-ranked Madison Harrison in their first set before pulling out the second in a tiebreak to notch a 6-0, 7-6 (4), pulling Northwestern within one victory of taking the match.

Mississippi State managed to get on the board with a win at No. 5, but Lee Or bounced back from a slow start at No. 4 to dominate Vozniak the rest of the way, winning 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 to clinch the match for the Wildcats.

Sunday's match between Northwestern and Georgia Tech is slated for a 1 p.m. Central time start.

#39 Northwestern 4, #18 Mississippi State 1
Doubles
1. #2 Jasmine Lee/Lisa Marie Rioux (MSU) vs. #15 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) 3-5, unfinished
2. Erin Larner/Lee Or (NU) def. Madison Harrison/Sara Lizariturry (MSU) 6-4
3. Rheeya Doshi/Jillian Rooney (NU) def. Jennifer Brown/Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2*

Singles
1. #82 Erin Larner (NU) def. Lisa Marie Rioux (MSU) 6-0, 6-1
2. Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #113 Madison Harrison (MSU) 6-0, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) vs. Rheeya Doshi (NU) 3-6, 6-4, 1-1, unfinished
4. Lee Or (NU) def. Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
5. Sara Lizariturry (MSU) def. Alex Chatt (NU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Jennifer Brown (MSU) vs. Jillian Rooney (NU) 5-7, 3-4, unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 2, 5, 4*

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