Another point “here or there” and Northwestern’s No. 1 doubles pair of freshman Audra Cohen and junior Cristelle Grier might have kept its perfect record intact.
But in a match that never seemed out of reach until they shook hands, perfection ended for the top-ranked duo.
Grier and Cohen’s match served as a microcosm of the Wildcats’ day as NU (3-1) fell to No. 13 Georgia (3-0) on Thursday in the first round of the National Women’s Team Indoor Championship in Madison, Wis., by a score of 5-2. The Bulldogs also handed NU its only loss in last year’s competition.
The Cats dropped their first doubles matches of the season. Grier and Cohen traded points with Georgia’s top tandem of sophomore Shadisha Robinson and sophomore Caroline Basu before landing on the short end of the 8-6 score. For Grier and Cohen, who were often tied but never led the match, it was their first loss together. The pair is now 15-1 dating back to the fall.
“I don’t think it means anything,” Grier said. “There were a few things we could have done better and a few things they did really well. That was the crux of it, just a few points here or there.”
Singles proved no better for the hard-luck Cats. No. 1 Cohen lost to No. 10 Robinson 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 for her first singles loss of the season, leaving her at 22-3 on the year. In the second spot, No. 4 Grier also was dealt her first loss of the season by No. 39 sophomore Natalie Frazier after dropping a grueling third set 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.
“We can’t rely on them to carry this team,” coach Claire Pollard said. “It’s got to be a total team effort. Give Georgia credit. Both girls … played the matches of their lives.”
No. 49 sophomore Alexis Prousis was a bright spot for the Cats at the third position as she bounced back from losing the first set to down junior Evgenia Subbotina 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Prousis also teamed with senior Kristi Roemer at the No. 2 spot for the Cats’ lone doubles win.
The Cats’ other singles victory came from Piesel when she pulled off a tough 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 victory against Kelley Hyndman.
“(Georgia) used the motivation that they wanted it and they hadn’t gotten the just respect that they deserved,” Pollard said. “The positive is we played a pretty poor match and we were right in it up until the end.”
The Cats play consolation matches today and on Saturday against New Mexico and Tulane.
“Georgia should be ranked higher,” Grier said. “We had an unlucky draw.”
Reach David Kalan at [email protected].
