.png&width=42&height=42&type=webp)
University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, March 9
Minneapolis, MN
2:30 PM
University of Minnesota
4
vs
1
Iowa State University
Players Mentioned
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
Photo by: Craig Lassig
Gophers Complete Saturday Sweep
3/9/2019 6:20:00 PM | Tennis
Minnesota downed the Iowa State Cyclones 4-1 to move to a 6-0 home record on the year
The University of Minnesota Women's Tennis team completed the Saturday sweep with a 4-1 win over Iowa State.
Â
Cammy Frei earned the clincher for Minnesota with her grind-it-out win in No. 4 singles, winning 5-7, 6-3, 7-6, with an impressive 7-0 breaker in the third set.
Â
"I wasn't going to let us lose the match at home," Frei said. "Dropping the first set is always hard, but it was a close set, so I knew I had a chance. In terms of the breaker, I didn't want to give her any points without making her work for it, so I focused on making sure I wa splaying high-percentage tennis and going for big targets. If she was going to beat me, she was going to have to hit a big shot."
Â
DOUBLES
Â
Minnesota had three close matches in doubles, but ended up taking the first two to clinch the doubles point. Cammy Frei and Caitlyn Merzbacher took No. 1 doubles 6-4, while Tina Kreinis and Tiffany Huber took No. 2 doubles 6-4 as well. Bita Mancera and River Hart were up 6-5 upon clinch of the doubles point.
Â
SINGLES
Â
Caitlyn Merzbacher led the way for Minnesota with a clean 6-1, 6-1 win in No. 6 singles, while Bita Mancera won 6-4, 7-5 in No. 3 singles. Tina Kreinis then fell to Maty Cancini in No. 1 singles 7-5, 7-5 before Cammy Frei earned the clincher.
Â
Tiffany Huber was down 1-6, 7-5, 5-4 upon clinch in No. 2 singles, while Juliet Zhang was up 6-3, 3-6, 4-3 in No. 5 singles.
Â
THE SPIN
Â
Minnesota got back on track with their Saturday sweep, earning two back-to-back wins after a five game losing streak and a cancelled match. Now above .500, Minnesota has the spark they need to continue Big Ten play with duals against Rutgers and Maryland on the horizon.
Â
The Gophers are also undefeated (7-0) at home with their last win, building on their 12-3 home mark from last season at Baseline Tennis Center.
Â
"As Catrina always says, this is our house, we defend our house," Frei said. "We all played well today, it was our second match of the day and we showed a lot of grit."
Â
UP NEXT
Â
Minnesota will hit the road over Spring Break to face conference opponents Rutgers on March 15 and Maryland on March 17.
Â
Minnesota 4, Iowa State 1
Doubles
Frei/Merzbacher (MINN) def. Cancini/Bonadonna (ISU) 6-4
Huber/Kreinis (MINN) def. Repina/Espindola (ISU) 6-4
Mancera/Hart (MINN) vs. Grib/Timakova (ISU) 6-5, unfinished
Â
Singles
Cancini (ISU) def. Kreinis (MINN) 7-5, 7-5
Huber (MINN) vs. Espindola (ISU) 6-0, 5-7, 4-5, unfinished
Mancera (MINN) def. Grib (ISU) 6-4, 7-5
Frei (MINN) def. Repina (ISU) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-0)
Zhang (MINN) vs. Bonadonna (ISU) 6-3, 3-6, 4-3, unfinished
Merzbacher (MINN) def. Timakova (ISU) 6-1, 6-1
Â
Cammy Frei earned the clincher for Minnesota with her grind-it-out win in No. 4 singles, winning 5-7, 6-3, 7-6, with an impressive 7-0 breaker in the third set.
Â
"I wasn't going to let us lose the match at home," Frei said. "Dropping the first set is always hard, but it was a close set, so I knew I had a chance. In terms of the breaker, I didn't want to give her any points without making her work for it, so I focused on making sure I wa splaying high-percentage tennis and going for big targets. If she was going to beat me, she was going to have to hit a big shot."
Â
DOUBLES
Â
Minnesota had three close matches in doubles, but ended up taking the first two to clinch the doubles point. Cammy Frei and Caitlyn Merzbacher took No. 1 doubles 6-4, while Tina Kreinis and Tiffany Huber took No. 2 doubles 6-4 as well. Bita Mancera and River Hart were up 6-5 upon clinch of the doubles point.
Â
SINGLES
Â
Caitlyn Merzbacher led the way for Minnesota with a clean 6-1, 6-1 win in No. 6 singles, while Bita Mancera won 6-4, 7-5 in No. 3 singles. Tina Kreinis then fell to Maty Cancini in No. 1 singles 7-5, 7-5 before Cammy Frei earned the clincher.
Â
Tiffany Huber was down 1-6, 7-5, 5-4 upon clinch in No. 2 singles, while Juliet Zhang was up 6-3, 3-6, 4-3 in No. 5 singles.
Â
THE SPIN
Â
Minnesota got back on track with their Saturday sweep, earning two back-to-back wins after a five game losing streak and a cancelled match. Now above .500, Minnesota has the spark they need to continue Big Ten play with duals against Rutgers and Maryland on the horizon.
Â
The Gophers are also undefeated (7-0) at home with their last win, building on their 12-3 home mark from last season at Baseline Tennis Center.
Â
"As Catrina always says, this is our house, we defend our house," Frei said. "We all played well today, it was our second match of the day and we showed a lot of grit."
Â
Head Coach Catrina Thompson on the doubleheader sweep, undefeated home record and Cammy Frei's impressive 7-0 third set breaker to clinch for the #Gophers 〽️🎾 pic.twitter.com/RFiQUjfymr
— Minnesota Women's Tennis (@GopherWTennis) March 9, 2019
UP NEXT
Â
Minnesota will hit the road over Spring Break to face conference opponents Rutgers on March 15 and Maryland on March 17.
Â
Minnesota 4, Iowa State 1
Doubles
Frei/Merzbacher (MINN) def. Cancini/Bonadonna (ISU) 6-4
Huber/Kreinis (MINN) def. Repina/Espindola (ISU) 6-4
Mancera/Hart (MINN) vs. Grib/Timakova (ISU) 6-5, unfinished
Â
Singles
Cancini (ISU) def. Kreinis (MINN) 7-5, 7-5
Huber (MINN) vs. Espindola (ISU) 6-0, 5-7, 4-5, unfinished
Mancera (MINN) def. Grib (ISU) 6-4, 7-5
Frei (MINN) def. Repina (ISU) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-0)
Zhang (MINN) vs. Bonadonna (ISU) 6-3, 3-6, 4-3, unfinished
Merzbacher (MINN) def. Timakova (ISU) 6-1, 6-1
Cinematic Recap: Gopher Invite
Tuesday, September 30
Behind the Scenes: Media Day
Thursday, September 18
First Practice of 2025
Tuesday, September 09
Cinematic: Gophers-Maryland
Tuesday, April 01