University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, April 12
Minneapolis, MN
4:00 PM
University of Minnesota
4
vs
3
Northwestern University
Players Mentioned
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
Minnesota Rallies to Upset #29 Northwestern
4/12/2019 8:07:00 PM | Tennis
In their first match of their weekend-long dual, the University of Minnesota women's tennis team rallied to upset the No. 29 Northwestern Wildcats in a 4-3 thriller. The Gophers remain a perfect 8-0 at home and advance their season record to 11-9, 4-4.
"I think the thing we constantly talk about with the team is that we are tough to beat," head coach Catrina Thompson said. "There is just something about these girls that when they play at home they know they can accomplish anything."
Doubles
The ball was in favor of Minnesota for most of doubles play but Northwestern battled back to clinch the point in two matches. The tandem of River Hart and Camila Vargas suffered a 6-3 loss against Northwestern's Ogut/Or duo to give the Wildcats the early advantage. Despite the strong play out of the top two positions, the Wildcats sealed the doubles point with a heartbreaking 7-5 victory over Cammy Frei and Tiffany Huber out of the No. 2 spot. The top duo of Caitlyn Merzbacher and Tina Kreinis was left unfinished 6-6 (2-3).
Singles
After dropping their first singles draw to fall behind 2-0, Merzbacher kicked it into overdrive to put the Gophers on the board. Northwestern quickly bounced back with a straight set win in the No. 2 position over Huber, but Minnesota strung together three-consecutive singles wins to pull off the 4-3 upset on home court. Minnesota's Kreinis produced her second-straight win over ITA/Oracle ranked opponents in a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 showing over No. 39 Clarissa Hand. Kreinis's win marks the first time in her career she has downed ranked opponents in back-to-back matches. After evening the match at three-all, Vargas gave the Gophers the come from behind win in a thrilling tiebreak over Northwestern's Finke.
"For Camila to come in under pressure and pull a match of that caliber off against a ranked team is a ton of credit to her abilities," Thompson added. "To clinch a match as a senior in her last few weeks here and play the way she has, she deserves all the credit."
Up Next
The Gophers will face off with #34 Illinois on April 14 to wrap up the weekend of competition before closing out the season on April 20 and April 21 against Nebraska, Iowa, and Green Bay. Minnesota will kick off Sunday's dual at 11am CT at Baseline Tennis Center.
Minnesota 4, #29 Northwestern 3
Doubles
Merzbacher/Kreinis (MINN) vs. Byrne/McColgan (NU) 6-6 (2-3), unfinished
Doshi/Hand (NU) def. Frei/Huber (MINN) 7-5
Ogut/Or (NU) def. Hart/Vargas (MINN) 6-3
Singles
Kreinis (MINN) def. #39 Hand (NU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
Byrne (NU) def. Huber (MINN) 6-3, 6-3
Or (NU) def. Frei (MINN) 6-4, 6-1
Merzbacher (MINN) def. Pozo (NU) 6-3, 6-3
Hart (MINN) def. Doshi (NU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
Vargas (MINN) def. Finke (NU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
Match Notes:
Minnesota 11-9, 4-4 B1G
Northwestern 11-8, 5-3 B1G; National ranking #29
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,4,2,5,1,6)
"I think the thing we constantly talk about with the team is that we are tough to beat," head coach Catrina Thompson said. "There is just something about these girls that when they play at home they know they can accomplish anything."
Doubles
The ball was in favor of Minnesota for most of doubles play but Northwestern battled back to clinch the point in two matches. The tandem of River Hart and Camila Vargas suffered a 6-3 loss against Northwestern's Ogut/Or duo to give the Wildcats the early advantage. Despite the strong play out of the top two positions, the Wildcats sealed the doubles point with a heartbreaking 7-5 victory over Cammy Frei and Tiffany Huber out of the No. 2 spot. The top duo of Caitlyn Merzbacher and Tina Kreinis was left unfinished 6-6 (2-3).
Singles
After dropping their first singles draw to fall behind 2-0, Merzbacher kicked it into overdrive to put the Gophers on the board. Northwestern quickly bounced back with a straight set win in the No. 2 position over Huber, but Minnesota strung together three-consecutive singles wins to pull off the 4-3 upset on home court. Minnesota's Kreinis produced her second-straight win over ITA/Oracle ranked opponents in a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 showing over No. 39 Clarissa Hand. Kreinis's win marks the first time in her career she has downed ranked opponents in back-to-back matches. After evening the match at three-all, Vargas gave the Gophers the come from behind win in a thrilling tiebreak over Northwestern's Finke.
"For Camila to come in under pressure and pull a match of that caliber off against a ranked team is a ton of credit to her abilities," Thompson added. "To clinch a match as a senior in her last few weeks here and play the way she has, she deserves all the credit."
Up Next
The Gophers will face off with #34 Illinois on April 14 to wrap up the weekend of competition before closing out the season on April 20 and April 21 against Nebraska, Iowa, and Green Bay. Minnesota will kick off Sunday's dual at 11am CT at Baseline Tennis Center.
Minnesota 4, #29 Northwestern 3
Doubles
Merzbacher/Kreinis (MINN) vs. Byrne/McColgan (NU) 6-6 (2-3), unfinished
Doshi/Hand (NU) def. Frei/Huber (MINN) 7-5
Ogut/Or (NU) def. Hart/Vargas (MINN) 6-3
Singles
Kreinis (MINN) def. #39 Hand (NU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
Byrne (NU) def. Huber (MINN) 6-3, 6-3
Or (NU) def. Frei (MINN) 6-4, 6-1
Merzbacher (MINN) def. Pozo (NU) 6-3, 6-3
Hart (MINN) def. Doshi (NU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
Vargas (MINN) def. Finke (NU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
Match Notes:
Minnesota 11-9, 4-4 B1G
Northwestern 11-8, 5-3 B1G; National ranking #29
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,4,2,5,1,6)
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