Two more matches, two more wins.
The Northwestern women’s tennis team (17-4, 8-0 Big Ten) keeps rattling off the victories without much trouble.
The Wildcats’ march to an undefeated Big Ten season and a third straight Big Ten championship continued this weekend as they beat No. 66 Minnesota 6-1 on Friday and Wisconsin 7-0 on Sunday.
Sunday’s sweep was NU’s 10th this season.
“I thought we would be one of the best Big Ten schools,” coach Claire Pollard said. “We just had a few questions that had to be answered. I knew we were capable of doing this well, but you never like to assume anything.”
After Ohio State’s 5-2 loss to Indiana Friday, NU is the only remaining undefeated team in the conference.
Pollard said that a little part of her hoped Ohio State would remain undefeated, setting up a showdown next Sunday in Evanston.
“But it doesn’t surprise me that they lost,” she said. “We have a balanced league and success depends a lot on the schedule you are given. At this point we just need to do our job.
“If we play our best game, we’ll be O.K. We’re human and can lose to any team, but we’re the most capable of being the best.”
Last year Ohio State defeated the Cats 5-2 in Columbus.
In the victory over the Badgers (7-13, 2-6), NU got off to a hot start by winning all three doubles matches.
“Wisconsin is one of the scarier lower teams in the Big Ten,” Pollard said. “I’m not sure why they aren’t winning. Confidence plays a huge role, and we’ve been winning and they haven’t.
“They could have won at No. 1 singles. They had a chance to put us away.”
Colleen Cheng defeated April Gabler 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 at No. 1 singles in the only match that went more than two sets.
Jackson lost the only point of the weekend for the Cats in her match against Minnesota (11-5, 3-4). Amy Thomas defeated her 6-0, 2-6, (10-4).
“The girl played the match of her life,” Pollard said. “Had they played a third set, I believe Lia would have won. In a 10-point tiebreaker anyone can win.
“We were clearly better than Minnesota. But you can never go in assuming anything because (we) are always the hunted.”
The weather conditions, especially rain and wind, played a role in both matches over the weekend.
“It makes it hard to play great tennis,” Pollard said. “The conditions do two things: they even the playing field, which helps the other team, and they test your character and your will. That’s to our benefit.
“We can out-compete our opponents.”
Jackson said that everything is going right for the team.
“Everyone always thinks one thing is not going well on a team,” she said. “But on ours every piece fits together to make the perfect puzzle.”
The only piece of the puzzle the Cats have struggled with all year was the loss of senior Shannon Duffy. But Duffy will practice today for the first time since she was diagnosed with mononucleosis on March 16.
