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Schmitz Earns Big Ten Women’s Tennis Co-Player of The Week
3/13/2024 1:19:00 PM | Tennis
MINNEAPOLIS - Sophomore Aiva Schmitz has been named Big Ten Women's Tennis Co-Player of the Week after back-to-back match-clinching performances last weekend against Indiana and No. 48 Purdue. She shares this week's award with Julia Fliegner of the University of Michigan. This marks the first such honor of Schmitz' collegiate career. The last Gopher women's tennis player selected as Player of the Week was Cammy Frei on March 10, 2020.
In the Maroon and Gold's Big Ten opening weekend against Indiana and No. 48 Purdue, Schmitz secured the winning point for Minnesota in each match. Against Indiana, Schmitz defeated Li Hsin Lin at the No. 3 singles spot, clinching the match in a third set tiebreaker to win 7-5, 6(4)-7(7), 7(7)-6(1). The Gophers won the overall match 4-3, notching a victory in their first conference match of the season. Against No. 48 Purdue, Schmitz again secured the match-winning point from the No. 3 singles spot, defeating Juana Larrañaga 6-2, 6-4. At No. 3 doubles against Purdue, Schmitz and partner Sofia Pizzoni won 6-2, helping the Gophers go on to claim the doubles point. Minnesota won the overall match 4-1, defeating a Top-50 opponent for the first time since Feb. 2023 and subsequently earning a No. 72 spot in the ITA national team rankings on March 12.
The Gophers go back on the road this weekend for a match against No. 25 Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Match time at Nielsen Tennis Stadium is set for 12:00 p.m. CT with live stats and streaming. Fans can also follow the match on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
In the Maroon and Gold's Big Ten opening weekend against Indiana and No. 48 Purdue, Schmitz secured the winning point for Minnesota in each match. Against Indiana, Schmitz defeated Li Hsin Lin at the No. 3 singles spot, clinching the match in a third set tiebreaker to win 7-5, 6(4)-7(7), 7(7)-6(1). The Gophers won the overall match 4-3, notching a victory in their first conference match of the season. Against No. 48 Purdue, Schmitz again secured the match-winning point from the No. 3 singles spot, defeating Juana Larrañaga 6-2, 6-4. At No. 3 doubles against Purdue, Schmitz and partner Sofia Pizzoni won 6-2, helping the Gophers go on to claim the doubles point. Minnesota won the overall match 4-1, defeating a Top-50 opponent for the first time since Feb. 2023 and subsequently earning a No. 72 spot in the ITA national team rankings on March 12.
The Gophers go back on the road this weekend for a match against No. 25 Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Match time at Nielsen Tennis Stadium is set for 12:00 p.m. CT with live stats and streaming. Fans can also follow the match on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
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