University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Wisconsin
Gophers Down Badgers in Big Ten Opener
3/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 59 Minnesota women's tennis team improved its 2015 record to 10-4 by defeating Border Battle rival Wisconsin, 4-3, in its Big Ten opener at the Baseline Tennis Center Friday. The Gophers have now won their last five matches against the Badgers dating back to the 2012 season.
The win came in the finale of a seven-match homestand that saw the Maroon and Gold go 6-1. Minnesota is now 8-1 at home on the season and 25-9 at its own facility under current head coach Chuck Merzbacher.
For the ninth time this season, the Gophers grabbed a 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point.
Julia Courter and Jessika Mozia opened up the match with an 8-5 win at the No. 2 position. The visitors responded with a narrow win at No. 3, but Tereza Brichacova and Paula Rincon-Otero overcame a late deficit at No. 1 and prevailed in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (4).
Individually in doubles, Courter is now 16-5 in her junior campaign with an 11-2 mark in the spring season.
Maja Vujic wasted little time giving the Maroon and Gold a 2-0 lead in singles action, dispatching Anastasia Tripolskaya, 6-0, 6-1, at the No. 4 spot. Aria Lambert then cushioned Minnesota's advantage with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 5. The victory was the 73rd of the Deephaven, Minn. native's career, tying her for 16th on the school's all-time list. She is now 11-2 on the spring.
Wisconsin got on the board and cut the Gophers' lead to one with third-set tiebreaker wins by Lauren Burich and Ekaterina Stepanova at Nos. 3 and 6, respectively, but Caroline Ryba overcame a one-set deficit at No. 2 to win, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, and secure the team victory.
UW's Lauren Chypyha then went on to cap the evening with a tiebreaker win at the top flight.
The Gophers, who do not play at home again in the month of March, resume play Monday in their final non-conference match against Florida Gulf Coast. They then travel to No. 13 Michigan and No. 73 Michigan State.
No. 59 Minnesota 4, Wisconsin 3
Baseline Tennis Center (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Singles competition
1. Lauren Chypyha (WISC) def. Tereza Brichacova (MINN) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4)
2. Caroline Ryba (MINN) def. Maria Avgerinos (WISC) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
3. Lauren Burich (WISC) def. Jessika Mozia (MINN) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (2)
4. Maja Vujic (MINN) def. Anastasia Tripolskaya (WISC) 6-0, 6-1
5. Aria Lambert (MINN) def. Kelsey Grambeau (WISC) 6-2, 6-2
6. Ekaterina Stepanova (WISC) def. Julia Courter (MINN) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (3)
Doubles competition
1. Tereza Brichacova/Paula Rincon Otero (MINN) def. Maria Avgerinos/Lauren Chypyha (WISC) 8-7 (4)
2. Jessika Mozia/Julia Courter (MINN) def. Lauren Burich/Kelsey Grambeau (WISC) 8-5
3. Sydney Rider/Ekaterina Stepanova (WISC) def. Caroline Ryba/Mehvish Safdar (MINN) 8-6
Match Notes
Wisconsin 6-5 (0-1 Big Ten)
Minnesota 10-4 (1-0 Big Ten)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,5,3,6,2,1)
Length: 4:17; Attendance: 122
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Players Mentioned
