April 27, 2008

Results

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Top-ranked Northwestern won its record-breaking 10th-consecutive Big Ten title Sunday with a 4-0 victory over Michigan. The Wildcats can now look forward to a greater prize at the NCAA Championships in May.

With their 10th-straight title, the Wildcats break Indiana's record of nine-consecutive titles set from 1987-95. The 'Cats now have won the Big Ten title in each of head coach Claire Pollard's 10 seasons at the helm. Pollard and the 'Cats improved to 26-1 overall, taking their best-ever record into the postseason during her tenure. She is also 128-6 overall, including 34-0 in postseason play, against Big Ten opponents in her 10-year tenure. The Wildcats now have won 63-straight conference matches.

Northwestern took a 1-0 match advantage after a sweep of the doubles point. At No. 1, Georgia Rose (Mettawa, Ill./North Shore Country Day) and Lauren Lui (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid) breezed their way to an 8-3 victory over No. 44-ranked Chisako Suigiyama and Tania Mahtani. The 18th-ranked Wildcat duo improved to 13-0 in dual play and 19-1 overall this season.

At No. 2, Suzie Matzenauer (Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine) and Samantha Murray (Altrincham, England/Altrincham Grammar) battled their way to an 8-5 victory over Michigan's Whitney Taney and Rika Tatsuno, ensuring the doubles sweep for the Wildcats and clinching the 1-0 match lead. Matzenauer and Murray improved to 11-1 in dual action this season. The match at No. 3 with Maria Mosolova (Moscow, Russia/No. 204) and Nazlie Ghazal (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) was abandoned.

The 'Cats kept their drive through singles, taking a 2-0 match advantage. Matzenauer tore through Lindsey Howard at No. 6, picking up her third straight win this weekend, with a 6-3, 6-1 straight set victory. With the win, she improved to 24-2 in dual action and picks up her 35th overall singles win of the season. At No. 2, Rose dominated Taney in her 6-2, 6-1 win, giving the 'Cats a 3-0 lead and inching them closer to the title. Rose improved to 34-10 overall with the singles victory.

Northwestern clinched its 10th-straight Big Ten title when Murray won in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, over Denise Muresan, securing the 4-0 sweep over Michigan. With the victory, Murray clinched her second match of the weekend and won her team-high 37th overall singles match of the year. The matches at No. 1, 4 and 5 were abandoned.

The Wildcats will await their NCAA tournament seed during the women's tennis selection show on Tuesday, April 28. It is anticipated that Northwestern will again host the first and second round NCAA regionals, held May 9-10. The No. 1 'Cats are now just six wins away from their first national title.

Below is a recap of the Wildcats' historic 10th-consecutive title run:

First Round: Bye
Second Round: No. 1 Northwestern 4, No. 8 Minnesota 0
Third Round: No. 1 Northwestern 4, No. 4 Illinois 0
Championship Match: No. 1 Northwestern 4, No. 2 Michigan 0

Singles competition

1. #4 Maria Mosolova (NU) vs. #49 Chisako Sugiyama (MICH) 6-0, 5-4, unfinished
2. #8 Georgia Rose (NU) def. Whitney Taney (MICH) 6-2, 6-1
3. #30 Sam Murray (NU) def. Denise Muresan (MICH) 6-1, 6-4
4. #50 Lauren Lui (NU) vs. #117 Tania Mahtani (MICH) 7-6 (8-6), 1-2, unfinished
5. Nazlie Ghazal (NU) vs. Rika Tatsuno (MICH) 5-7, 4-2, unfinished
6. Suzie Matzenauer (NU) def. Lindsey Howard (MICH) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. #18 Lauren Lui/Georgia Rose (NU) def. #44 Chisako Sugiyama/Tania Mahtani (MICH) 8-3
2. Sam Murray/Suzie Matzenauer (NU) def. Whitney Taney/Rika Tatsuno (MICH) 8-5
3. Nazlie Ghazal/Maria Mosolova (NU) vs. Denise Muresan/Lindsey Howard (MICH) 4-7, unfinished

Match Notes

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (6,2,3)
Big Ten Championship Title Match
No. 1-seeded Northwestern vs. No. 2-seeded Michigan
T-2:32