Northwestern kicked off the spring season at the Quad Invite this weekend, hosting Notre Dame, Colorado and Northern Illinois at Combe Tennis Center ahead of next week’s dual season opener.
The invite took a hidden duals format, where teams match up with each other without an official score of the match. Individual matches matter for a player’s record but do not count for the team’s season record.
“I think this is just such a great experience for us, and I think this is so invaluable versus practicing,” coach Claire Pollard said. “I mean, we’re not ready to play yet.”
Pollard told The Daily in November that she has her sights set on finishing the season with the Wildcats ranked in the top 25 nationally. This weekend, she reiterated that focus, adding that she will be looking at analytics, data and player’s records to maximize NU’s success this season.
NU took on Notre Dame Friday, competing in four doubles matches and nine singles matches. The ’Cats split their doubles matches 2-2 with the Fighting Irish. Graduate student Britany Lau and freshman Maia Loureiro won 6-4, while junior Jennifer Riester and freshman Erica Jessel beat their Notre Dame opponents 7-6(3). Sophomore Neena Feldman and freshman Mika Dagan Fruchtman lost, as did senior Sydney Pratt and sophomore Autumn Rabjohns.
Still, Pollard said there was room for improvement in her doubles results.
The entire NU roster participated in singles Friday except for Dagan Fruchtman, who is nursing a sprained ligament in her left foot. Jessel, Lau, Pratt, Rabjohns, Riester and sophomore Katya Shepherd Johnson all picked up wins.
“My coaches have really helped me gain some clarity in my game and with that came confidence, and that was kind of the missing piece,” said Rabjohns, who won 7-5, 7-5 Friday.
Pollard said that a recent tactical shift that she made with Rabjohns was to have her slice every forehand shot she took.
Lau continued her strong performance from the fall with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 win, capped by a match-winning passing shot. Pollard dubbed Lau the fall season MVP when she sat down with The Daily in November after Lau reached the ITA Sectionals for singles and doubles, the lone ’Cat to do so.
When NU took on Colorado on Saturday, Pollard said she shifted her doubles lineup around after the previous day’s results.
Pratt teamed up with Jessel for a 6-4 win, and Feldman played with senior Kiley Rabjohns, Autumn Rabjohns’ sister, to secure a quick 6-1 victory.
“Our chemistry was very good,” Feldman said. “Very good communication on the court. Good serving from both of us.”
Meanwhile, Lau and Dagan Fruchtman linked up again following a successful fall season which yielded them a spot as NCAA tournament alternates. They lost a tight 6-4 match, while Loureiro and Shepherd Johnson lost 6-2.
In singles, Autumn Rabjohns won for the second consecutive day with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Feldman bounced back from her Friday singles loss with a 6-4, 6-4 win, which she solidified with a cross-court backhand winner. Pratt also defeated her opponent with a 6-4, 6-0 scoreline.
The ’Cats concluded the Quad Invite with matches against Northern Illinois and had their most dominant day of competition.
NU played in three doubles matches Sunday and won all of them. Lau paired with Shepherd Johnson for a 6-3 win, and Feldman and Loureiro also won 6-3. Pratt and Jessel took care of business with a 6-1 win.
Seven players played singles for the ’Cats, and all but Dagan Fruchtman, who made her singles debut over the weekend, won. Dagan Fruchtman lost in a tight 6-3, 6(2)-7, [10-7] battle.
Meanwhile, Autumn Rabjohns finished the weekend with a perfect singles record with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win. Lau got back on track with a 6-4, 6-2 win, while a trio of NU players displayed dominance over their opponents.
Pratt registered a 6-0, 6-2 win. Feldman won 6-1, 6-0, and Jessel bounced back from a tight loss the day prior with a 6-0, 6-1 victory. After losses in singles the two prior days, Loureiro ended the weekend on a high note with a 7-5, 6-0 win.
NU opens the dual season with a home matchup against DePaul on Jan. 18 inside Combe Tennis Center at 4 p.m. CT.
Email: charliespungin2027@u.northwestern.edu
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