Feb. 9, 2007
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following a run to the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Championships, the sixth-ranked Wildcats open Big Ten season on the road against the Wisconsin Badgers at noon Saturday. The 'Cats advanced to the semifinals of the ITA Indoor for the first time in nine appearances with wins over then No. 14 UCLA and No. 5 Miami.
Last Time Out
Northwestern advanced to the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Championships for the first time in nine appearances, knocking off No. 14 UCLA, 5-2, and No. 5 Miami (Fla.), 4-3, before falling to No. 4 Notre Dame, 4-3. Sophomore Georgia Rose (Mettawa, Ill./North Shore Country Day) posted a 2-1 record at No. 1 singles with wins over UCLA's 35th-ranked Riza Zalameda and Notre Dame's 41st-ranked Catrina Thompson.
Sophomore Nazlie Ghazal (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) sealed the 'Cats win over the fifth-ranked Hurricanes when she won a thrilling three-setter over Miami's (Fla.) Gina Sabatino at No. 6. Ghazal dropped the first set, but took the next two sets to take the 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 win. Freshmen Samantha Murray (Altrincham, England/Altrincham Grammar) and Lauren Lui (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid) both went 2-1 at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, respectively.
The 'Cats' 30th-ranked doubles team of Rose and Alexis Prousis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) notched an upset win over Miami's (Fla.) sixth-ranked Farah and Banada, 9-7.
Rose earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors for her performance at the ITA Indoor Championships. It was the third honor of her career and the second for the Wildcats this seaosn.
The Wildcats sit sixth in the latest ITA rankings. They started 2007 ranked No. 9 and after jumping to No. 8 after knocking off 10th ranked Duke, the 'Cats moved to No. 6 following their run to the semifinals for the first time in nine appearences at the ITA Indoor.
Following Saturday's contests, the 'Cats will return to the Combe Tennis Center for a three-match homestand. They will host No. 1 Georgia Tech at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon. No. 10 Baylor and No. 7 Baylor will visit Evanston later next week.