In 2023, Saiprakash Goli, Felix Nordby and Max Bengtsson watched from the bench as Northwestern sought to knock off No. 4-seed Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament — a rematch of the contest that ended NU’s campaign at the same stage the season prior.
After dropping the doubles point, NU stormed back to win all six singles first sets and take a 3-1 lead, putting a program-first third round appearance within its grasp.
Yet, the SEC powerhouse staged comebacks from a set down on three courts and NU snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
“It almost felt like it wasn’t real when we lost,” Nordby said.
In the two years since, Goli, Nordby and Bengtsson have become mainstays in coach Arvid Swan’s lineup. Despite not reaching the heights of the team that nearly ascended to the promised land against Kentucky, the trio have rebounded from that disappointment to produce strong final seasons.
On a blustery Sunday afternoon at Vandy Christie Tennis Center, the three impending graduates played their final matches in Evanston for the Wildcats (12-14, 4-7 Big Ten), falling 4-0 to No. 4 Ohio State (22-2, 11-0 Big Ten) — winners of 45 consecutive conference matches.
Bengtsson lost 6-1, 6-3 to 92nd-ranked Jack Anthrop at the No. 4 spot. Nordby and Goli’s matches went unfinished when Anthrop clinched for OSU — Nordby trailed No. 60 Alexander Bernard 7-5, 4-2 at the No. 2 position and Goli was down 6-3, 4-3 to No. 10 Aidan Kim at the top spot.
“Of course it’s different, your last match playing here,” Nordby said. “A little bit more emotional, trying to appreciate every moment. You’re only out here for a couple of hours playing tennis.”
Nordby and Bengtsson, both seniors, have posted 16-4 and 12-8 singles records, respectively. Goli, a graduate student, has competed closely against some of the top players in the nation after establishing himself as the team’s No. 1 singles player.
“(They are) three outstanding student athletes who have won a ton and helped us have some really good years,” coach Arvid Swan said. “This year, they have brought a lot of leadership, and go about their business in a way that sets an example for everybody, whether it’s in practice, in the gym or in a match.”
Of the graduating triumvirate, only Nordby received significant playing time his freshman year. He was immediately entrusted to play at the No. 1 doubles slot alongside four-time All-Big Ten star Steven Forman, finishing 11-12 as a duo.
He also featured frequently in the singles lineup, finishing with a 6-13 record, mostly at the No. 5 spot. Yet, after being trounced 6-1, 6-1 by Kentucky’s Joshua Lapadat in the NCAA Tournament match that concluded his first season with the ’Cats, Nordby struggled to retain his lineup spot the following year.
He made six singles appearances and 15 doubles appearances during his sophomore campaign and found himself looking on from the sidelines in the ill-fated rematch with Kentucky.
Last year, Goli and Bengtsson each entered the fray after making just six and three career singles appearances prior, respectively. Goli started most of the year at No. 3, notably clinching a 4-3 upset victory over No. 8 Duke in a third set tiebreak.
“I really cherish the Duke win,” Goli said. “Especially when I clinched, I think that was a really sweet win for us as a team since they were top 10 in the country.”
Bengtsson took slightly longer to become a lineup regular, but established his position at the No. 5 spot in the latter portion of last year’s conference season.
After three years of unreliable playing time and team heartbreak, all three found themselves at the center of Swan’s lineup this year and playing at the peak of their powers.
Nordby and Bengtsson each hit their stride around the end of the non-conference season, going on winning streaks of 10 and six matches, respectively. Nordby’s streak carried through into the first four matches of Big Ten play, helping the ’Cats jump out to a 3-1 start in the conference slate.
“We’ve been on so many different teams,” Bengtsson said. “It’s nice to be seniors and to be playing in a good season, but it’s also tough with the idea of having to move on after this.”
While Goli did not have comparable statistical success against the conference’s top players — posting an 8-13 singles record thus far — he nevertheless had multiple standout moments. Against UCLA on March 23, Goli led 7-5, 3-3 against No. 29 Rudy Quan before the match was left unfinished.
With only two regular season matches remaining against Washington and Oregon on the road and NU currently sitting at 67th in the ITA rankings, the graduates are unlikely to avenge the heartbreaking NCAA Tournament defeat suffered by the classes above them. But, according to Swan, the three departing players’ impact will extend beyond their impressive results on the court.
“All three guys play so hard — mentally and physically, they’re dialed in on each point, every single match this year,” Swan said. “They set a really good example for our younger players.”
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