Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, January 31
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Middle Tennessee
'Cats Continue Nonconference Road Trips in Tennessee
1/30/2026 12:54:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Northwestern women's tennis (4-0) will travel to Tennessee to take on Middle Tennessee and No. 12 Vanderbilt for its second of two nonconference road trips. The matchup with Middle Tennessee (1-1) is set for Saturday, Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. CT in Murfreesboro, Tenn., before heading to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt (4-0) on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. CT.
The Wildcats are 4-0 to open a dual season for the first time since the 2017 season. They look to start a campaign 5-0 or 6-0 for the first time since 2010.
This past weekend, Northwestern swept UIC 7-0. First-year Margot Phanthala, the ITA's No. 39-ranked player nationally, recorded key victories at the No. 1 slot in both singles and doubles. She won in doubles alongside sophomore Erica Jessel, who clinched the match for the Wildcats at singles No. 6. Junior Autumn Rabjohns earned the team's first point in singles after tabbing a dominant 6-0, 6-2 triumph at the No. 3 position.
Playing in the top half of Northwestern's singles lineup, Phanthala and Rabjohns are both 4-0. Rabjohns is yet to drop a set this season, having lost just nine total games. Sophomore Maia Loureiro and first-year Marelie Raath lead the team with eight total wins, each posting unblemished 4-0 records in both singles and doubles.
Saturday's tilt will be Northwestern's first match against the Blue Raiders in program history. Middle Tennessee is coming off a weekend in which it split its results against Florida A&M and Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers, Fla.
On Sunday, the Wildcats will meet the Commodores for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons and are seeking their first win over their SEC foe since the 2018 dual season. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 13-3. Last season, Northwestern fell 4-2 to the Commodores, with its two points coming from singles wins by Sydney Pratt (No. 4) and now-junior Neena Feldman (No. 6).
Vanderbilt is coming off a 4-2 victory over then-No. 7 Michigan and is led by a trio of the ITA's top 50 singles players in No. 17 Valeria Ray, No. 33 Bridget Stammel, and No. 36 Mia Yamakita. It also has three ranked double teams, including the NCAA Doubles Championship runner-ups in Sophia Webster and Celia-Belle Mohr, who rank No. 2. Ray and Stammel make up the No. 13 duo, while Yamakita and Erin Pearce are the No. 46 pairing.
After their weekend in Tennessee, the Wildcats will return home to host the ITA National Team Indoor Championships from Feb. 6-10, 2026. Northwestern's schedule and opponents will be announced at a later date.
The Wildcats are 4-0 to open a dual season for the first time since the 2017 season. They look to start a campaign 5-0 or 6-0 for the first time since 2010.
This past weekend, Northwestern swept UIC 7-0. First-year Margot Phanthala, the ITA's No. 39-ranked player nationally, recorded key victories at the No. 1 slot in both singles and doubles. She won in doubles alongside sophomore Erica Jessel, who clinched the match for the Wildcats at singles No. 6. Junior Autumn Rabjohns earned the team's first point in singles after tabbing a dominant 6-0, 6-2 triumph at the No. 3 position.
Playing in the top half of Northwestern's singles lineup, Phanthala and Rabjohns are both 4-0. Rabjohns is yet to drop a set this season, having lost just nine total games. Sophomore Maia Loureiro and first-year Marelie Raath lead the team with eight total wins, each posting unblemished 4-0 records in both singles and doubles.
Saturday's tilt will be Northwestern's first match against the Blue Raiders in program history. Middle Tennessee is coming off a weekend in which it split its results against Florida A&M and Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers, Fla.
On Sunday, the Wildcats will meet the Commodores for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons and are seeking their first win over their SEC foe since the 2018 dual season. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 13-3. Last season, Northwestern fell 4-2 to the Commodores, with its two points coming from singles wins by Sydney Pratt (No. 4) and now-junior Neena Feldman (No. 6).
Vanderbilt is coming off a 4-2 victory over then-No. 7 Michigan and is led by a trio of the ITA's top 50 singles players in No. 17 Valeria Ray, No. 33 Bridget Stammel, and No. 36 Mia Yamakita. It also has three ranked double teams, including the NCAA Doubles Championship runner-ups in Sophia Webster and Celia-Belle Mohr, who rank No. 2. Ray and Stammel make up the No. 13 duo, while Yamakita and Erin Pearce are the No. 46 pairing.
After their weekend in Tennessee, the Wildcats will return home to host the ITA National Team Indoor Championships from Feb. 6-10, 2026. Northwestern's schedule and opponents will be announced at a later date.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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