Top-seeded Northwestern came into the NCAA tournament as the favorite.
In the first two rounds, it played like one.
The Wildcats cruised into the third round after sweeping Illinois-Chicago and Indiana 4-0 at Vandy Christie Tennis Center this weekend.
“Everyone is a little better this time of year, and they are coming out with nothing to lose and everything to gain,” coach Claire Pollard said. “The key was we were able to grind it out and persevere.”
The Cats started strong against the Hoosiers in the second round, sweeping the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. At the No. 1 spot, the No. 19 pair of Georgia Rose and Lauren Lui defeated Brianna Williams and Katya Zapadalova, 8-3. The duo now boasts a 15-0 record this dual season.
Suzie Matzenauer and Samantha Murray won 8-3 at the No. 2 spot to clinch the doubles point.
NU continued its dominance in singles play. At No. 1, fifth-ranked freshman Maria Mosolova proved she deserved her title as Big Ten Player of the Year. She crushed her opponent for the second time this weekend, defeating the Hoosiers’ Alba Berdala 6-2, 6-1. Mosolova improved her record to 37-4 this season.
Not to be outdone, Lui defeated Sigrid Fischer in an equally dominating fashion at the No. 4 spot, 6-2, 6-2. Her victory put the Cats ahead 3-0 in the dual. She is now 21-0 at the No. 4 spot for the season and has won a team-high 18 consecutive matches.
“I was just trying to finish my match because I hadn’t finished a postseason match yet so that was really my goal,” Lui said. “I just played my game so I guess it made it look easy but it really wasn’t.”
NU clinched the sweep and a ticket to the round of 16 when Matzenauer won for the second time this weekend at the No. 6 spot. Her 6-4, 6-1 victory over Brianna Williams sent the Cats to Tulsa, Okla.
The win over Indiana extended NU’s Big Ten winning streak to 64 duals. The Cats defeated the Hoosiers earlier this season with a 6-1 victory April 6, but Mosolova said the second time was tougher.
“(Indiana) played much better than when they played us in the regular season,” Mosolova said. “So that was a really great match for us to get ready for the NCAAs because the level is going to increase on Thursday. It is going to be a huge difference from what we were playing this weekend.”
NU defeated Illinois-Chicago easily Friday to advance to the second round.
The Cats crushed the Flames in doubles play, sweeping them to take a quick 1-0 lead. At the No. 2 spot, Murray and Matzenauer shut out Grace Gill-Morlis and Ulrikke Von Ubisch in an 8-0 victory. Soon after, Lui and Rose thrashed Ilinca Cristescu and Kristen McPhillips 8-1 at the No. 1 spot to clinch the doubles point.
NU quickly finished the dual in singles play.
Mosolova shut out Cristescu in both sets 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 to give the Cats a 2-0 lead. Matzenauer defeated Von Ubisch in with a 6-0, 6-1 win at the No. 6 spot. Nazlie Ghazal clinched the match for the Cats at the No. 5 spot after defeating Jenna Reisch 6-1, 6-0.
NU’s No. 5 and No. 6 players are 49-5 this season in duals and had three of the team’s six singles victories this weekend.
“It takes the pressure off because we know that our No. 5 and No. 6 always win,” Mosolova said. “If things don’t go well, we can always rely on them.”
The Cats are now even closer to reaching their goal, as they head to Tulsa for the remainder of the tournament. They will face Fresno State in the round of 16 on Thursday.
“We will go out and play great matches and any team will have to work hard to deserve the win,” Mosolova said. “We are so good this year, and it will be really upsetting if we don’t get this title.”
