Jan. 26, 2012
ITA National Indoor Team Championship Qualifying
Friday and Saturday, January 28-29
Combe Tennis Center
Evanston, Ill. 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday
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EVANSTON -- No. 12 Northwestern will begin its quest for a third ITA National Indoor Team Championship in four years as it welcomes three of the top teams from around the country at the Combe Tennis Center this weekend for the qualifying draw.
No. 24 Arkansas, No. 39 Nebraska and No. 57 Dartmouth join the twelfth-ranked Wildcats for the competitive qualifying event. The winning team will earn a spot in the main draw of the ITA National Indoor Team Championship, which will be held in Charlottesville, Va. February 10-13. Northwestern won the ITA National Indoor Team Championships in 2009 and 2010.
Play begins for the two-day event on Saturday, January 28 at 11 a.m. when the 'Cats face off against the Dartmouth Big Green in the first semifinal match. The second semifinal will pit No. 24 Arkansas against the Big Ten's newest member, No. 39 Nebraska at 3 p.m. The championship match is set for Sunday, January 29 at 2 p.m.; the consolation match precedes that contest at 10 a.m.
The Wildcats have been idle since knocking off No. 15 Vanderbilt, 5-2, in their season-opener at Combe Tennis Center on January 21. Kate Turvy (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) was one of several 'Cats who played a key role in leading Northwestern past the Commodores. The junior played No. 1 singles for the first time in her collegiate career and rose to the occasion against No. 23 Jackie Wu. Turvy captured the first set, 6-1, but found herself down, 4-1 in the second frame. The Ohio native, rattled off victories in five straight games to earn the win and a valuable point for the team.
Earlier that afternoon Turvy teamed with Belinda Niu (Portland, Ore./Lincoln) to form the No. 3 doubles team. The purple-and-white-clad duo knocked off Vanderbilt's Nelly Radeva and Lauren Mira, 8-6, to clinch the doubles point for the Wildcats. On Tuesday, Turvy was recognized as the Big Ten's Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week and earned a spot on the CollegeSports360.com Primetime Performer Honor Roll for her efforts.
The Big Green fell short against No. 45 Boston College, 6-1, in its first dual of the season last Saturday. The Arkansas Razorbacks were victorious in their only dual to date, defeating Louisville, 6-1. The Cornhuskers have not played since the ITA Central Regionals in late October.
Nebraska features three singles players ranked in the ITA's top-100; Mary Weatherholt is ranked No. 50; Jane Weinreich checks in at No. 84 and Stefanie Weinstein is ranked No. 100. The doubles tandem of Madeleine Geibert and Weinstein are ranked No. 53 in the doubles rankings.
Turvy is ranked No. 26 for the Wildcats, while Brittany Wowchuk (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Oakville Trafalgar) is ranked No. 86. Northwestern's top doubles team of Linda Abu Mushrefova (Bradenton, Fla./Pendleton) and Nida Hamilton (Oak Brook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) are ranked sixth by the ITA.
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