April 27, 2007
Results
MINNEAPOLIS -- Top-seeded Northwestern worked hard for the doubles point, but took straight-set singles wins on three courts to down eighth-seeded Penn State Friday in the second round of the Big Ten Championship, 4-0. Sophomore Nazlie Ghazal (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) captured the clincher at No. 5.
The Wildcats improve to 19-4 while Penn State falls to 9-13.
Penn State got on the 'Cats early in the doubles portion, taking leads at No. 1 and No. 2, but the Wildcats fought back to take the first point of the dual. At No. 3, Alexis Conill (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons) and Samantha Murray (Altrincham, England/Altrincham Grammar) downed Dorothy Dohanics and Leyla Morzan, 8-5. The pair is now 12-2 at No. 3 doubles.
Lauren Lui (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid) and Keri Robison (Decatur, Ill./Keystone National) stayed on serve with Lauren McCarthy and Andreea Niculescu until the 'Cats took a late break to win the match, 8-6.
The 10th-ranked pair of Alexis Prousis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and Big Ten Player of the Year Georgia Rose (Mettawa, Ill./North Shore Country Day) showed rust at No. 1 doubles. The pair last played in the 'Cats' win over Notre Dame on April 13. Their match against Sasha Abraham and Jenny Shular was abandoned at 7-7 when the Wildcats took the doubles point.
NU raced out to early leads on several singles courts. Lui, who developed a reputation this season for playing three-set matches, was the first Wildcat off the courts with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Shular at No. 3.
Suzie Matzenauer (Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine) was next at No. 6. The freshman downed McCarthy, 6-0, 6-0.
As has been the case several times this season, Ghazal won the clincher for the 'Cats. She defeated Dohanics at No. 5 in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.
The rest of the matches were abandoned with the Wildcats winning the dual 4-0. Robison was in a third set at No. 4 with the match score 4-6, 6-4. Prousis was up 6-4, 5-1 before her match was halted and Murray was down 5-7, 2-5 at No. 1. Rose did not compete in singles.
NU faces Iowa in the semifinals at 10 a.m. Saturday, at the Baseline Tennis Center. The 'Cats defeated Iowa 5-2 in their regular-season meeting.
For complete schedules, results and tournament information, visit Gophersports.com