Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, January 31
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
7
at
0
Middle Tennessee
'Cats Split Weekend Action in Tennessee
2/1/2026 6:28:00 PM | Women's Tennis
NASHVILLE – Northwestern swept Middle Tennessee 7-0 on Saturday afternoon in Murfreesboro, Tenn., to improve to a 5-0 record before dropping its first match of the season to No. 12 Vanderbilt on Sunday.
The Wildcats' (5-1) five match winning streak marked their best start to a season since 2010. The match against the Blue Raiders (1-3) began with dominant doubles play from Northwestern, as sophomore Maia Loureiro and first-year Marelie Raath continued their undefeated season as a doubles pairing with a 6-1 win at No. 3. Junior Neena Feldman and sophomore Mika Dagan Fruchtman secured the doubles point with a 6-2 victory at No. 1.
To open singles play, No. 5 Raath recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win, registering the first double-bagel by a Northwestern player this season. With the result, she moved to a perfect 5-0 singles record.
Feldman, playing at the No. 2 position, gave the Wildcats a 3-0 advantage with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph, and Dagan Fruchtman clinched the match for Northwestern at No. 4 with a 6-3, 6-3 decision after winning the final three games of the match. Dagan Fruchtman's previous three victories on the season came at the No. 5 position.
The positive results continued to secure the Wildcats' sweep. First-year Margot Phanthala, the team's No. 1 and ITA's No. 39-ranked player, logged a 6-3, 6-2 win, with junior Autumn Rabjohns prevailing 6-4, 6-3 shortly after at the No. 3 position. Playing at No. 6, sophomore Erica Jessel guaranteed that every Northwestern player would win in straight sets with her 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3) scoreline.
In Sunday's 6-0 defeat to the Commodores (5-0), No. 3 Rabjohns had the ITA's No. 33-ranked player Bridget Stammel on the brink of defeat after taking the first set 6-3. Rabjohns fell 6-3 in the second set and 10-7 in the match tiebreak. No. 1 Phanthala also came close to victory against Célia-Belle Mohr — a runner-up in the reigning NCAA Doubles Championship — after taking the second set 6-4 to force a match tiebreak, but suffered a 10-6 defeat there.
The Wildcats return home to host the ITA National Team Indoor Championships from Feb. 6-10. Northwestern's schedule will be announced at a later date.
The Wildcats' (5-1) five match winning streak marked their best start to a season since 2010. The match against the Blue Raiders (1-3) began with dominant doubles play from Northwestern, as sophomore Maia Loureiro and first-year Marelie Raath continued their undefeated season as a doubles pairing with a 6-1 win at No. 3. Junior Neena Feldman and sophomore Mika Dagan Fruchtman secured the doubles point with a 6-2 victory at No. 1.
To open singles play, No. 5 Raath recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win, registering the first double-bagel by a Northwestern player this season. With the result, she moved to a perfect 5-0 singles record.
Feldman, playing at the No. 2 position, gave the Wildcats a 3-0 advantage with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph, and Dagan Fruchtman clinched the match for Northwestern at No. 4 with a 6-3, 6-3 decision after winning the final three games of the match. Dagan Fruchtman's previous three victories on the season came at the No. 5 position.
The positive results continued to secure the Wildcats' sweep. First-year Margot Phanthala, the team's No. 1 and ITA's No. 39-ranked player, logged a 6-3, 6-2 win, with junior Autumn Rabjohns prevailing 6-4, 6-3 shortly after at the No. 3 position. Playing at No. 6, sophomore Erica Jessel guaranteed that every Northwestern player would win in straight sets with her 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3) scoreline.
In Sunday's 6-0 defeat to the Commodores (5-0), No. 3 Rabjohns had the ITA's No. 33-ranked player Bridget Stammel on the brink of defeat after taking the first set 6-3. Rabjohns fell 6-3 in the second set and 10-7 in the match tiebreak. No. 1 Phanthala also came close to victory against Célia-Belle Mohr — a runner-up in the reigning NCAA Doubles Championship — after taking the second set 6-4 to force a match tiebreak, but suffered a 10-6 defeat there.
The Wildcats return home to host the ITA National Team Indoor Championships from Feb. 6-10. Northwestern's schedule will be announced at a later date.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
66
Lena Peyer / 0 [MTSU]
32
#2 Singles Match
12
66
Rutuja Chaphalkar / 0 [MTSU]
21
#3 Singles Match
12
66
Sthefany Lima / 0 [MTSU]
43
#4 Singles Match
12
66
Zora Koenig / 0 [MTSU]
33
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Sara Conde / 0 [MTSU]
00
#6 Singles Match
12
77
Zenn Lim / 0 [MTSU]
66
Order of Finish:
5,2,4,1,3,6
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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