A freshman is the only one left holding the dreams of a NCAA championship title for Northwestern.
Maria Mosolova advanced to the championship singles’ round of 16 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Michigan’s Chisako Sugiyama on Thursday.
“It was a great second-round match for me,” she said. “I had played her earlier in the season, so I had a game plan and went out there with a great idea of what I was going to do on the court.”
Mosolova dominated from start to finish, just as she has in most of her matches this year. Mosolova has a 24-3 dual record this year, playing most of her matches at No. 1 singles. She has already won numerous season awards, including ITA Rookie of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year.
Even with all the trophies, Mosolova is most delighted by her performance in the tournament.
“I am really excited,” she said. “I think it is a great experience for a freshman and it is going pretty well for now.”
Mosolova is the only Wildcat remaining in the tournament after teammate Lauren Lui fell in straight sets 6-1, 6-0 to USC’s No. 6 Amanda Fisk. Lui’s loss came after her remarkable three-set comeback win in the first round that saw her prevail after being down both in the second and third sets.
NU’s shot at the doubles crown ended early, when the tandem of Georgia Rose and Lui fell in the first round, 6-3, 6-4, to the No. 1 tandem Tracy Lin and Riza Zalameda of UCLA. The duo helped the Bruins win their first-ever national championship on Tuesday.
“We got off to a slow start,” Lui said. “When we started to get things going, it was just a little too late. They were a pretty good team and the conditions out there were not the best.”
Being the only NU player left in the tournament might cause some to feel overwelmed, but not Mosolova.
“I don’t feel any pressure,” she said. “I am just trying to represent in the best way. Getting to the third round of the NCAAs in your freshman year is pretty good.”
Mosolova said she was confident going into Friday’s round of 16 match against Sacramento State’s Katrina Zheltova.
“I know how she plays, so I know what to expect,” she said. “I know she will play hard, so I will try to play my best. I think I can win if I play by best game for sure.”
Mosolova also has the support of her teammates, who believe she will be the first NU player to win an NCAA individual singles title.
“She has had a great freshman year and is doing really well,” Lui said. “I think she can go pretty far in this tournament and bring home the trophy.”
