March 28, 2012
No. 15 Northwestern (8-7, 2-1 Big Ten) at No. 32 Minnesota (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten)
Friday, March 30
Baseline Tennis Center
Minneapolis, Minn. 6 p.m.
Streaming Video: GopherSports.com
Live Scoring: GopherSports.com
No. 15 Northwestern (8-7, 2-1 Big Ten) at Wisconsin (10-5, 1-2 Big Ten)
Sunday, April 1
Nielsen Tennis Stadium
Madison, Wis. 12 p.m.
Live Blog: Information coming soon
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will embark upon its longest stretch of the season away from home with five straight matches on the road, beginning with a trip to face two formidable Big Ten foes this weekend. The Wildcats will challenge themselves first against Minnesota on Friday night, then at Wisconsin Sunday afternoon.
Looking Back - Iowa:
The Wildcats split a pair of Big Ten matches at home last weekend. On March 24, Northwestern welcomed the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Combe Tennis Center for the first in-conference home tilt of the season. The 'Cats got off to a strong start by earning the doubles point when they swept all three matches against their opponent for only the second time this season. The newly-formed tandem of Linda Abu Mushrefova and Brittany Wowchuk clinched the first point of the match for their team that day.
Northwestern's success continued on into singles play, where they won all six showdowns. Stacey Lee's win at No. 6 against Iowa's Ellen Silver officially dictated the outcome of the match.
Looking Back - Nebraska:
The weather cooperated well enough for the Wildcats to take to the outdoor courts at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center on Sunday, March 25 against Nebraska. Northwestern was looking to knock off the Huskers for the second time this season, having previously done so in an ITA National Team Indoor Championship qualifying match on Jan. 29.
For the second time this year, the Huskers won the doubles point. Linda Abu Mushrefova and Brittany Wowchuk won for the second straight day, but they were the only doubles team to do so for Northwestern.
Veronica Corning evened the score with a win at No. 4 singles for Northwestern and Stacey Lee evened up the points for either side a second time with her win at No. 6 following Nebraska's Mary Weatherholt upset NU's Kate Turvy at No. 1. After Wowchuk dropped her match at No. 2 in two hard-fought sets, the Wildcats needed Abu Mushrefova and Belinda Niu both to win in order to claim the match. Unfortunately for the home team, both players were defeated in three sets and Nebraska emerged victoriously.
Break Out The Brooms:
The triumph over Iowa marked the second straight time and the third time overall this season that Northwestern did not surrender a team point over the course of a match. The Wildcats also swept Dartmouth on Jan. 28 and DePaul on March 21. NU won all nine doubles (3) and singles (6) matches against both the Big Green and the Hawkeyes. Northwestern's record for the most shutouts in a season came in 2008 when it posted 15 such victories.
Big Ten Binge:
Northwestern has achieved tremendous success in Big Ten play under the direction of head coach Claire Pollard, who is in her 14th season at the helm. The Wildcats are 124-9 against conference opponents while Pollard has been in charge. Between April 5, 2004 and April 2, 2010 Northwestern won 73 straight Big Ten matches.
Topsy Turvy:
Junior Kate Turvy has emerged as a force to be reckoned with this season at the No. 1 singles position. Since commandeering that post for the first time in her career, Turvy has earned nine wins in dual matches, including five over nationally-ranked opponents. The highest-ranked foe Turvy slayed was Baylor's Diana Nakic, who was ranked No. 9 by the ITA at the time of their battle on March 4.
Double Down:
Before falling to Nebraska's Mary Weatherholt and Patricia Veresova on March 25, Northwestern's combination of Kate Turvy and Belinda Niu had won nine consecutive doubles matches together this season. The Wildcats won six times at No. 3 and three times at No. 2. The pair has a combined record of 0-9 while playing with other partners this season.
Turning The Corner:
After transferring to Northwestern to begin the winter quarter, sophomore Veronica Corning got off to a bit of a slow start by dropping eight of her first 12 singles matches. Since Big Ten play began on March 10, however, the Massachusetts native has been on fire. Corning has won all three of her conference clashes this season and four straight overall.
Stacey The Senior:
Senior Stacey Lee has been a positive contributor to the team's success this season. Lee is 3-1 in dual matches this spring and a perfect 3-0 in Big Ten play. She joins Veronica Corning as the only two undefeated Wildcats in individual conference play.
Poll Presence:
As a team, Northwestern is currently ranked 15th in the ITA national team poll. The 'Cats achieved their highest distinction of the season back on Feb. 28 when they checked in at No. 8.
Individually, Turvy is at the top of the charts for Northwestern with a current ranking of 21st. Brittany Wowchuk was slated at 62nd in the latest edition. Belinda Niu has also appeared in the poll throughout the season, but is currently unranked.
Scouting the Gophers:
Minnesota enters Friday's match with a record of 12-2 overall this season, including a mark of 2-1 in Big Ten matches. The Golden Gophers are currently ranked No. 32 in the country according to the latest ITA poll released Tuesday.
The trio of Alexa Palen, Doron Muravnik and Natalia Pintusava has been an integral part of the team's success this season. That group has combined to post 32 of the team's 62 singles wins this season. Palen leads the way with 12 triumphs.
Northwestern leads the all-time series against Minnesota, 34-5. The last win for the maroon and gold came on their home courts on April 6, 2003.
Scouting the Badgers:
Wisconsin is 10-5 overall and 1-2 in Big Ten matches in 2012. The Badgers have been led by Alaina Trgovich, who has won 10 out of 14 dual matches, and Sarah Loebel, who has nine wins of her own.
Northwestern leads the all-time series with Wisconsin, 44-15. The last win for the Badgers came on Feb. 15, 1998.
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