Jan. 15, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill.--No. 14 Northwestern's women's tennis team (0-0) begins its 2004 dual season at noon Saturday with a match against Eastern Michigan (0-0) at Combe Tennis Center.
The Wildcats are coming off one of their best fall seasons in recent memory. Sophomore Cristelle Grier (Surrey, England/Putney) and senior Jessica Rush (Dallas, Texas/The Hockaday School) claimed the doubles titles at the ITA Midwest and National Indoor Championships. They were the first Big Ten pair ever to win the latter and are currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in the first ITA poll of 2004.
Grier also won the singles title for the second-straight year at the ITA Midwest Indoor Championships. She is ranked fourth in the nation as a singles player in the ITA poll. Rush won the consolation draw at the adidas Invitational and begins the spring ranked 36th in the country.
"Our practices have been fun, but we are ready to get some matches under our belts," said head coach Claire Pollard. "Cristelle and Jessica's No. 1 ranking is certainly an honor to them and the program. It will be exciting to see them in action."
Sophomore Jamie Peisel (Savannah, Ga./Savannah Country Day) and freshman Alexis Prousis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) also formed a strong doubles team for NU, recording a 5-2 record in the fall and winning the Purple Flight of the Wildcat Invitational. The team of senior Connie Chiang (Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh West) and junior Andrea Yung (San Marino, Calif./San Marino), meanwhile, captured the White Flight doubles championship at the Wildcat Invitational.
Eastern Michigan is led by junior Victoria Domina, who won the first flight singles championship at the Wildcat Invitational. Northwestern has won all five previous meetings with the Eagles, most recently an 8-1 win at home in 1999.
"Eastern Michigan will be a great first opponent for us," said Pollard. "Domina is very talented and will be an excellent match for Cristelle. We look forward to being tested."
After facing the Wildcats, Eastern Michigan will remain in town to take on DePaul at noon Sunday at Combe Tennis Center.