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Gophers Drop Home Opener to Nebraska 4-3
2/19/2021 6:07:00 PM | Tennis
Minneapolis, MN. - The Gophers returned to Baseline Tennis Center for their first home match of the season. The home-opener saw Minnesota fall to the Cornhuskers by a final of 4-3.
Minnesota (0-2) hosted a B1G matchup for the first time in 350 days. This is the first home loss for the Gophers in straight 13 matches and the Cornhuskers' first victory at Baseline Tennis Center since 2013.
The Gophers faltered in doubles play as Nebraska took the doubles point 2-0 on clinch. On Court 3, Ekin Ercetin and Rachel Hanford's doubles match went unfinished at 6-6.
On Court 4, sophomore Ekin Ercetin evened things up at 1-1 for Minnesota by defeating senior Claire Reifeis in straight sets: 6-4, 6-1.
Nebraska grabbed a 3-1 lead after straight-set victories from Kristina Novak over Dalila Said (6-3, 6-1) and Chloe Kuckelman over River Hart (6-2, 6-3).
On Court 1, senior captain Juliet Zhang stepped up in a big way for the Maroon & Gold by defeating junior Samantha Alicea in straight sets: 6-4, 6-3. The No. 6 singles position has been good to Zhang as she improves her career record in that slot to 12-3.
For the second match in a row, the result came down to the final two singles matches. Nebraska clinched the victory after freshman Maja Makoric prevailed over Lucia de Santa Ana in straight sets: 7-6, 6-3.
On Court 5, freshman Rachel Hanford secured her second straight B1G singles victory by defeating sophomore Isabel Adrover Gallego in three sets: 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Hanford is the only Gopher with singles victories in both B1G matches this season.
Minnesota is back in action Sunday Feb. 21 at home vs. Iowa. The border battle is scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. start.
Doubles
Ekin Ercetin/Rachel Hanford (MIN) vs. Kristina Novak/Samantha Alicea (NEB) 6-6, Unfinished
Isabel Adrover Gallego/Claire Reifeis (NEB) def. Dalila Said/Lucia de Santa Ana (MIN) 7-5
Chloe Kuckelman/Hayley Haakenstad (NEB) def. River Hart/Juliet Zhang (MIN) 6-4
Order of finish: 3,2
Singles
Kristina Novak (NEB) def. Dalila Said (MIN) 6-3, 6-1
Rachel Hanford (MIN) def. Isabel Adrover Gallego (NEB) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
Ekin Ercetin (MIN) def. Claire Reifeis (NEB) 6-4, 6-1
Maja Makoric (NEB) def. Lucia de Santa Ana (MIN) 7-6, 6-3
Chloe Kuckelman (NEB) def. River Hart (MIN) 6-2, 6-3
Juliet Zhang (MIN) def. Samantha Alicea 6-4 6-3
Order of finish: 3,1,5,6,4,2