There has been no coddling for Kate Turvy.
Of Northwestern’s three newcomers, Turvy has entered the collegiate fray the fastest, playing a crucial role almost immediately at both singles and doubles.
“I just had to jump right in there, which was a little scary,” Turvy said. “I’m not used to losing at the junior level, and obviously this team isn’t used to losing either. It’s definitely been a challenge.”
Turvy and classmates Linda Abu Mushrefova and Brittany Wowchuk entered a program with ten consecutive conference titles to its name. NU’s sweep of the ITA Indoor Championships in February suggested this season would follow suit. But five losses later, including their first Big Ten loss since 2004, the Wildcats’ place at the top of the rankings is precarious. Pollard has stressed the importance of the freshmen to the program since the beginning of the season, saying that there is no weak link on the team. As No. 9 NU (14-4, 5-1 Big Ten) heads into its final weekend of conference play after a slew of spring losses, Pollard’s assessment will need to stand the tests of No. 20 Iowa (14-4, 4-3) and No. 60 Minnesota (10-10, 3-4).
“It’s harder to join this program than it’s ever been,” Pollard said. “When Sam (Murray) and Lauren (Lui) joined the team they weren’t expected to be the No. 1 team in the nation. The expectations have gotten out of control.”
Turvy has played the most prominent role among the freshmen, taking the No. 4 singles spot and frequently pairing up with Murray in doubles. She and Murray have proven a lethal team, winning all but one match together.
The freshman’s singles performance has been less consistent. Turvy started out the season with four straight wins, but then suffered five consecutive losses. This pattern continued throughout the season, leaving Turvy with a 8-10 record. She has struggled particularly in the last couple of weeks, posting a six-match losing streak.
“I’ve got to work up from where I am, I can’t dwell as much as I’ve been doing this season,” Turvy said. “Hopefully the results will come from that.”
Abu Mushrefova and Wowchuk have not been featured as frequently in singles as Turvy, but both have seen their fair share of doubles play. Wowchuk and Abu Mushrefova occasionally paired with junior Maria Mosolova at the beginning of the season.
“I can pretty much play with anybody on the team,” Abu Mushrefova said. “Sometimes it’s a bit random, but it’s a good experience to work with so many other girls.”
After losses to No. 1 Baylor and No. 27 Texas last weekend in which NU only posted one doubles win, Pollard said she has not yet decided the doubles lineup for Saturday and Sunday.
This weekend will be the Cats’ final home matches, and their last regular season opportunity to pick up momentum heading into the NCAA tournament. Pollard said the focus in practice has been simple: fun. After several close losses to lower-ranked teams, NU is looking to rebuild its confidence.
“Hopefully we’ll change the attitude a little bit and stop feeling sorry for ourselves,” Pollard said. “There’s still plenty to play for.”[email protected]
