Feb. 6, 2003
EVANSTON - Northwestern got off to a running start, winning two of the three doubles matches for the first point of the match, but USC's depth in singles proved to be the difference in the 4-3 loss to the Ladies of Troy in the first round of the United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Team Indoor Championships Thursday afternoon at the Nielsen Tennis Center in Madison, Wis.
Northwestern falls to 4-4 on the season, while USC remains undefeated at 4-0.
Unranked, the Northwestern duo of Cristelle Grier and Jessica Rush upended ninth-ranked Tiffany Brymer and Jewel Peterson, 8-5 enroute to NU's first point of the match. Andrea Yung and Ruth Barnes clinched the point with an 8-4 win at No. 2 over Luana Magnani and Anita Loyola.
In singles, the Wildcats could only secure two points in the 4-3 defeat. No. 16 Grier gave up only five games in her defeat of the nation's third-ranked player, Peterson 6-4, 6-1 at No. 1. Yung was the only other winner, toppling No. 55 Maureen Diaz 6-4, 6-0 at No. 3.
The Ladies of Troy clinched the match when Brymer defeated Barnes at No. 5, 7-6(5), 6-4.
Making their fifth appearance at the prestigious USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships, the Wildcats are now 1-4 in first round play. Northwestern will meet No. 28 Wake Forest Friday morning at 9 a.m. in the consolation draw. Last year, after suffering a first round loss to then-No. 4 Vanderbilt, Northwestern went on to beat then-No. 7 USC and No. 9 Fresno State in consolation play.
#14 Northwestern vs. #7 USC
USC 4, NU 3
SINGLES
No. 1 #16 Cristelle Grier (NU) def. #3 Jewel Peterson (USC) 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 Luana Magnani (USC) def. #63 Jessica Rush (NU) 5-7, 7-5, 6-0
No. 3 Andrea Yung (NU) def. #55 Maureen Diaz (USC) 6-4, 6-0
No. 4 #103 Anita Loyola (USC) def. #76 Jamie Peisel (NU) 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Tiffany Brymer (USC) def. Ruth Barnes (NU) 7-6(5), 6-4
No. 6 Carine Vermeulen (USC) def. Stacy Kokx (NU) 6-1, 6-1
DOUBLES
No. 1 Rush/Grier (NU) def. #9 Brymer/Peterson (USC) 8-5
No. 2 Yung/Barnes (NU) def. #40 Magnani/Loyola (USC) 8-4
No. 3 Vermeulen/Melissa Esmero (USC) def. Peisel/Kristi Roemer (NU) 8-5