No. 59 Northwestern split Big Ten matches against No. 17 Michigan and No. 75 Michigan State this weekend.
The Wildcats (12-8, 5-4 Big Ten) started out strong with a win over the Spartans (10-10, 3-7 Big Ten) on Saturday, taking a contested doubles point. Freshman Margot Phanthala and sophomore Erica Jessel, currently ranked No. 42 in doubles, beat Michigan State’s Ellie Blackford and Matilde Morais, the pairing ranked No. 43. Junior Autumn Rabjohns and sophomore Mika Dagan Fruchtman secured the doubles point for NU with a 6-4 win.
In singles, freshman Marelie Raath finished first with a clean 6-3, 6-3 win over Michigan State’s Issey Purser. Jessel followed with a 7-5, 6-2, win over Michigan State’s Nina Plihal. No. 89 Phanthala lost a tough three-setter to Amara Brahmbhatt 6-3, 4-6, 3-6. Phanthala, who was ranked No. 39 in November, has struggled mildly in the No. 1 spot, currently standing at 7-10 on the season.
Dagan Fruchtman clinched the win for the ’Cats with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Hanna Tsitavets.
On Sunday, against the Wolverines (12-6, 9-1 Big Ten), NU’s luck changed for the worse. Jessel and Phanthala lost 1-6 to Michigan’s Lily Jones and Jessica Bernales, ranked No. 37 in the nation. Raath and junior Neena Feldman beat Michigan’s Reese Miller and Laura Rahnel, leaving the doubles points up to Dagan Fruchtman and Rabjohns. The duo pulled through, beating No. 76-ranked Piper Charney and Emily Sartz-Lunde.
Singles was much less competitive for the ’Cats, with all losses coming in straight sets. Jessel lost 1-6, 1-6 to Bernales, followed quickly by Feldman’s 3-6, 3-6 loss to Jones, currently ranked at No. 22. Dagan Fruchtman lost 3-6, 3-6 to Sartz-Lunde. The match ended with Rabjohns’ 3-6, 4-6 loss to No. 112-ranked Miller.
NU hopes to rebound this Friday at 4:30 p.m. against USC at the Combe Tennis Center.
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— Women’s Tennis: Northwestern falls to No. 45 Iowa, beats Nebraska to open Big Ten play
— Women’s Tennis: Northwestern dominates DePaul in final match before Big Ten play
— Women’s Tennis: Northwestern snaps four-match losing streak in 7-0 win against Fordham
