Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, February 22
Evanston, Ill.
4 p.m. CT
Northwestern
6
vs
1
DePaul
Photo by: Colleen Charchut/Northwestern Athletics
NU Records 6-1 Win Over DePaul in Sunday Match
2/22/2026 8:43:00 PM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. — Playing its penultimate nonconference match, Northwestern women's tennis notched a 6-1 victory over DePaul on Sunday afternoon inside Combe Tennis Center.
"We had a really good week of practice. We worked on a lot of things. I thought the attitudes were really good," Head Coach Claire Pollard said. "Our doubles was better. I liked our energy in doubles. DePaul just does a really good job at competing."
The Wildcats (7-4) opened the match against the Blue Demons (5-5, 2-0 Big East) by seizing the doubles point. At the No. 2 doubles position, sophomore Erica Jessel and first-year Margot Phanthala recorded a dominant 6-1 victory, improving their record as a duo to 3-1. Sophomore Mika Dagan Fruchtman and first-year Marelie Raath, playing their first match of the dual season together, won 6-4 at No. 3 to secure the point.
"Margot's pretty good, and Erica's got a big wingspan, so I think they complement each other. Erica's got a great serve," Pollard said of Phanthala and Jessel's success. "They have a nice little rapport with each other, so we're trying to keep them together."
Junior Autumn Rabjohns provided the spark for the Wildcats in singles play. Playing at the No. 3 position, Rabjohns was the first to finish with an authoritative 6-0, 6-1 victory. She won the first eight games of the match.
Junior Neena Feldman, playing the team's No. 2 slot, followed suit with a 6-1, 6-2 win of her own. Over their last two matches, Rabjohns has dropped only four total games, while Feldman has lost just five.
"They just know what they need to do. They're coming out and working hard during the week," Pollard said. "Both of those two kids have really bought into what we're about, getting better. Both of them have improved exponentially."
At No. 6 singles, Dagan Fruchtman clinched the match for the Wildcats, prevailing 6-3, 6-2. She tabbed her sixth win of the season, tripling her victory output from last season.
Pollard said that she and Dagan Fruchtman have held continued conversations about her play style and how she can perform at her best. She added that Dagan Fruchtman has translated those conversations to the court in her victory.
"I think I managed to be more aggressive, but still [hit] pretty safe balls," Dagan Fruchtman said. "I'll say, [it was] kind of more patiently aggressive. I moved the ball well, played well, moved on the court better, and served better, so everything was better overall."
Northwestern added on wins from sophomore Maia Loureiro at No. 4 (7-6 (12-10), 6-3) and Raath at No. 5 (7-5, 7-5), but dropped the match at No. 1 singles.
The team is now turning its gaze toward Big Ten competition, and Pollard said she feels that the team is ready for the conference slate. Dagan Fruchtman expressed a similar sentiment.
"This team is an unbelievable team. I think we're doing a great job together," Dagan Fruchtman said. "I think we're super pumped to start the [Big Ten] season. I think we have a lot of potential to do something great, and just super excited to do that."
Northwestern has a weekend off before kicking off Big Ten play on the road, facing Iowa on Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m. CT, and Nebraska on Sunday, March 8, at noon CT.
'Cats ??in ??
— Northwestern Women's Tennis (@NUWildcatTennis) February 23, 2026
NU 6 | DEP 1 pic.twitter.com/ayW5WT829g
"We had a really good week of practice. We worked on a lot of things. I thought the attitudes were really good," Head Coach Claire Pollard said. "Our doubles was better. I liked our energy in doubles. DePaul just does a really good job at competing."
The Wildcats (7-4) opened the match against the Blue Demons (5-5, 2-0 Big East) by seizing the doubles point. At the No. 2 doubles position, sophomore Erica Jessel and first-year Margot Phanthala recorded a dominant 6-1 victory, improving their record as a duo to 3-1. Sophomore Mika Dagan Fruchtman and first-year Marelie Raath, playing their first match of the dual season together, won 6-4 at No. 3 to secure the point.
Victory frames ????? pic.twitter.com/0pjX9y9Oyw
— Northwestern Women's Tennis (@NUWildcatTennis) February 23, 2026
"Margot's pretty good, and Erica's got a big wingspan, so I think they complement each other. Erica's got a great serve," Pollard said of Phanthala and Jessel's success. "They have a nice little rapport with each other, so we're trying to keep them together."
Junior Autumn Rabjohns provided the spark for the Wildcats in singles play. Playing at the No. 3 position, Rabjohns was the first to finish with an authoritative 6-0, 6-1 victory. She won the first eight games of the match.
Junior Neena Feldman, playing the team's No. 2 slot, followed suit with a 6-1, 6-2 win of her own. Over their last two matches, Rabjohns has dropped only four total games, while Feldman has lost just five.
"They just know what they need to do. They're coming out and working hard during the week," Pollard said. "Both of those two kids have really bought into what we're about, getting better. Both of them have improved exponentially."
At No. 6 singles, Dagan Fruchtman clinched the match for the Wildcats, prevailing 6-3, 6-2. She tabbed her sixth win of the season, tripling her victory output from last season.
Match CLINCHED ??
— Northwestern Women's Tennis (@NUWildcatTennis) February 23, 2026
Dagan Fruchtman takes down Alvarez 6-3, 6-2 ??
NU 4 | DEP 0 pic.twitter.com/XTS12b0Idu
Pollard said that she and Dagan Fruchtman have held continued conversations about her play style and how she can perform at her best. She added that Dagan Fruchtman has translated those conversations to the court in her victory.
"I think I managed to be more aggressive, but still [hit] pretty safe balls," Dagan Fruchtman said. "I'll say, [it was] kind of more patiently aggressive. I moved the ball well, played well, moved on the court better, and served better, so everything was better overall."
Northwestern added on wins from sophomore Maia Loureiro at No. 4 (7-6 (12-10), 6-3) and Raath at No. 5 (7-5, 7-5), but dropped the match at No. 1 singles.
The team is now turning its gaze toward Big Ten competition, and Pollard said she feels that the team is ready for the conference slate. Dagan Fruchtman expressed a similar sentiment.
"This team is an unbelievable team. I think we're doing a great job together," Dagan Fruchtman said. "I think we're super pumped to start the [Big Ten] season. I think we have a lot of potential to do something great, and just super excited to do that."
Northwestern has a weekend off before kicking off Big Ten play on the road, facing Iowa on Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m. CT, and Nebraska on Sunday, March 8, at noon CT.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
123
Sasha Stula / 0 [DPU]
471
660
#2 Singles Match
12
Hannah Smith / 0 [DPU]
12
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Clara Nilsson / 0 [DPU]
01
66
#4 Singles Match
12
Yasemin Pehlivan / 0 [DPU]
63
76
#5 Singles Match
12
Roberta Sechi / 0 [DPU]
55
77
#6 Singles Match
12
Helin Alvarez / 0 [DPU]
32
66
Order of Finish:
3,2,6,4,5,1
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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