Northwestern’s 2025 dual season marked one of backsliding, both on the micro and macro levels.
The No. 10-seed Wildcats’ (13-13, 6-7 Big Ten) 4-0 loss to No. 7-seed Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament first round Wednesday afternoon signified the first time the program has lost in its first Big Ten Tournament match since 1998 — the season before current coach Claire Pollard took the reins.
The Fighting Illini’s (14-11, 8-5 Big Ten) dominance in Ojai, California, was its third win over NU this season. Each contest has progressively become more lopsided, too. The ’Cats took the road Jan. 25 and fell to Illinois 4-2. The Fighting Illini came to Evanston April 12, NU’s Senior Day, and won 4-1.
The ’Cats’ Wednesday defeat marked their third loss to Illinois in three months. It was also the first time that NU has been swept by their in-state foe in program history.
With hopes of stealing the first doubles point from the Fighting Illini this season, Pollard stuck by her doubles pairings from last weekend when the ’Cats went 2-0 to secure a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.
In each doubles match, NU went up a break at one point. Yet, in heartbreaking fashion that has become all too common for the ’Cats, they failed to maintain their grip on the point.
Despite breaking in the first game of the match, No. 3 duo graduate student Britany Lau and senior Kiley Rabjohns broke but surrendered their lead in the ensuing game. At 3-4, 40-40, the two were broken on Rabjohns’ serve. Illinois successfully served out the match for a 6-3 win.
However, at this time, No. 2 pairing of freshmen Erica Jessel — named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team earlier in the day — and Mika Dagan Fruchtman won their first career Big Ten Tournament match together. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead, they held on for a 6-2 win.
Shortly after these matches concluded, NU’s No. 1 pairing of senior Sydney Pratt and sophomore Neena Feldman were broken at 3-4 — the same story of the No. 3 court. Their Fighting Illini opponents held in the following game for a 6-3 win, securing the doubles point over the ’Cats for the second time in fewer than two weeks.
It only took Illinois three singles straight-set victories to secure the match. Winning seemingly became inevitable for the Fighting Illini after they captured five singles first sets. Only No. 3 Lau won her first set with a 6-3 result. No. 4 Pratt lost hers first 6-2, while No. 2 Feldman was defeated 7-5 after being up 5-3.
No. 1 Jessel’s match was first to conclude, as she fell 6-3, 6-0 to give Illinois a 2-0 lead. Feldman, Pratt and Lau all advanced into third sets, while the ’Cats struggled at their bottom two spots. No. 5 Rabjohns and No. 6 Mika Dagan Fruchtman, playing her first singles match since March 28, lost nearly simultaneously, marking the end of NU’s season.
Rabjohns lost 6-3, 6-2 after firing a forehand into the net after a long rally. Seconds after Rabjohns shook her chair umpire’s hand, Dagan Fruchtman — one court over — barely returned a drop shot, opening up the court for her opponent to hit a volley winner on match point. She also lost 6-3, 6-2.
Dagan Fruchtman replaced recent No. 6 mainstay sophomore Autumn Rabjohns in the lineup this match.
Lau trailed 3-6, 6-0, 3-1 at the match’s conclusion. Pratt was also behind in her match with a score of 6-2, 1-6, 3-2. Pratt concluded her final collegiate season with a 17-2 record. Meanwhile, Feldman’s dominant second set win netted her match at 5-7, 6-1, 1-1. The Beaverton, Oregon, native finished the campaign with a 12-1 singles record.
After the loss, the ’Cats sit on the outside looking in on the NCAA tournament cutline. NU’s seven conference losses marked its most in a season in program history.
If the ’Cats fail to make the NCAA tournament, it would just be the second time in Pollard’s 27-year tenure that she did not reach that stage. NU’s 2024-25 season has likely come to a close.
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Related Stories:
— Women’s Tennis: Northwestern beats Purdue and Indiana, qualifies for Big Ten Tournament
— Women’s Tennis: Northwestern’s NCAA Tournament hopes fade after 4-1 loss to Illinois
— Women’s Tennis: Homegrown talent Pratt, Rabjohns feature in last career match in Evanston
