April 26, 2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Wildcats advanced to the final round of the 2003 Big Ten Championship with a 4-2 win over No. 3-seed Illinois Saturday afternoon at the Atkins Tennis Center.
Northwestern opened the match by capturing the doubles point, winning at No.'s 1 and 3. Cristelle Grier and Jessica Rush extended their Big Ten win streak to 12-0 with an 8-3 win. The NU duo defeated Illinois' tandem of Jennifer McGaffigan and Michelle Webb. Jamie Peisel and Stacy Kokx teamed at No. 3 to defeat Brianna Knue and Leila Cehajic 8-4.
In singles, the 'Cats won two of the six matches in three sets and a third in three sets for the win. Grier, undefeated in conference play, upped her record to 12-0 with a straight-set win over McGaffigan (7-5, 6-3) at No. 1. Andrea Yung downed Knue 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4 singles. Peisel fell in the first set (2-6), but rallied in the second to tie the match at No. 3. Illinois' Eldina Fazlic could not rebound as Peisel defeated her 6-1 in the third set for the point.
Northwestern will meet top-seeded Minnesota at noon Sunday in the championship match. The Wildcats are seeking their fifth tournament title in as many years.
No. 2 Northwestern vs. No. 3 Illinois
NU 4, ILL 2
Singles
1) Cristelle Grier (NU) def. Jennifer McGaffigan (ILL) 7-5, 6-3
2) Tiffany Eklov (ILL) def. Jessica Rush (NU) 6-1, 6-1
3) Jamie Peisel (NU) def. Eldina Fazlic (ILL) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
4) Andrea Yung (NU) def. Brianna Knue (ILL) 6-4, 6-4
5) Michelle Webb (ILL) def. Ruth Barnes (NU) 6-2, 6-0
6) Stacy Kokx (NU) vs. Leila Cehajic (ILL) 6-3, 5-2, abandoned
Doubles
1) Grier/Rush (NU) def. Webb/McGaffigan (ILL) 8-3
2) Eklov/Fazlic (ILL) def. Barnes/Yung (NU) 8-6
3) Peisel/Kokx (NU) def. Knue/Cehajic (ILL) 8-4