No. 57 Northwestern split this weekend\u2019s matches against No. 45 Maryland and Rutgers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Wildcats (14-11, 6-7 Big Ten) started out with a closely fought 3-4 loss to the Terrapins (16-6, 8-5 Big Ten). NU took the contested doubles point, with No. 38-ranked duo of freshman Margot Phanthala and sophomore Erica Jessel beating the No. 74-ranked pairing of Emma Ghirardato and Diya Challa 6-3. Freshman Marelie Raath and junior Neena Feldman clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win.<\/p>\n
Singles play was just as competitive. Feldman suffered the \u2019Cats\u2019 first loss, falling 2-6, 3-6 at No. 3 singles. Phanthala, ranked No. 91, defeated No. 101-ranked Oliwia Orlinska at No. 1 singles 6-3, 6-3. At second singles, junior Autumn Rabjohns lost 4-6, 3-6 to Ghirardato.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Freshman Mika Dagan Fruchtman gave NU a 3-2 lead with a win at No. 5 singles over Lucia Donnelly 7-5, 6-3. However, Raath lost at No. 6 singles 2-6, 6-7(4) and Jessel recorded the final loss of the match 4-6, 6-4, 4-6 against Challa.<\/p>\n
The \u2019Cats\u2019 luck changed on Sunday with a 4-2 win at Rutgers.<\/p>\n
The doubles point was contested yet again. Phanthala and Jessel lost 3-6 to Mai Nguyen and Zuzanna Frankowska. Feldman and Raath beat Karina Jumazhanova and Zeynep Ilker 6-4. Rabjohns and junior Katya Shepherd Johnson fell short 6-7(2) against Stella Schmitz and Naomi Karki.<\/p>\n
Singles was equally as hard-fought, with four of the six matches going to three sets. At No. 4 singles, Jessel beat Ilker 6-3, 7-5. Sophomore Maia Loureiro beat Savannah Cohen 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 at No. 6 singles. Feldman beat Karina Jumazhanova 7-6(1), 6-4 at No. 3 singles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rabjohns took the \u2019Cats first loss at No. 2 singles against Zuzanna Frankowska 6-1, 6-7(3), 0-6. Dagan Fruchtman secured the win for NU with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Karki.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No. 10-seed NU faces No. 7-seed Maryland on Thursday in the Big Ten Tournament, hosted by Ohio State.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Email: [email\u00a0protected]<\/a><\/p>\n Related Stories:<\/p>\n \u2014 Women\u2019s Tennis: Northwestern falls to USC and UCLA, secures win over Chicago State<\/a><\/p>\n