EVANSTON, Ill. -- No. 25 Northwestern battled toe-to-toe with defending national champion and fifth-ranked Vanderbilt, but the Wildcats came up just short, falling 4-3 Sunday at Combe Tennis Center.
The Wildcats got off to a terrific start in the match by posting a pair of convincing wins in doubles to surge out to a 1-0 lead. The newly ranked duo of Erin Larner and Alicia Barnett left no doubt at No. 2 as the 35th-ranked Northwestern team disposed of Astra Sharma and Ellie Yates, 6-0. The match at No. 1 featured a pair of top-10 ranked teams, but again it was the Wildcats who rolled to a victory. No. 9 Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp dominated the nation's sixth-ranked team of Sydney Campbell and Courtney Colton, 6-2, as the hosts jumped out in front in the match.
Things continued to go well for Northwestern in singles play beginning with the match at No. 4. Chatt dominated Georgina Sellyn 6-2, 6-0, putting Northwestern up 2-0. However, Vanderbilt evened the match by getting victories from its two nationally ranked players in its lineup at Nos. 1 and 2, No. 20 Sydney Campbell and No. 16 Francis Altick, respectively.
The Commodores went up 3-2 with another win from Yates at No. 6, but moments later Erin Larner finished off Colton 6-4, 6-3, leaving the match to be decided by the contest at No. 5.
After dropping her first set, 6-2, Jillian Rooney battled back to win the second, 6-3. The decisive third set was tied 2-2 when Fernanda Contreras broke and then held to go up 4-2. Rooney held to get within a game and had a pair of break points but wasn't able to cash in as Contreras eventually held en route to the victory.
Northwestern returns to action next Sunday when it takes on Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
#5 Vanderbilt 4, #25 Northwestern 3
Doubles
1. #9 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #9 Sydney Campbell/Courtney Colton (VU) 6-2
2. #35 Alicia Barnett/Erin Larner (NU) def. Astra Sharma/Ellie Yates (VU) 6-0
3. Manon Peri/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) vs. Francis Altick/Fernanda Contreras (VU) 2-4 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 2, 1*
Singles
1. #20 Sydney Campbell (VU) def. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-3, 6-3
2. #16 Francis Altick (VU) def. #51 Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Erin Larner (NU) def. Courtney Colton (VU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Georgina Sellyn (VU) 6-2, 6-0
5. Fernanda Contreras (VU) def. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
6. Ellie Yates (VU) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 1, 2, 6, 4, 5*
The Wildcats got off to a terrific start in the match by posting a pair of convincing wins in doubles to surge out to a 1-0 lead. The newly ranked duo of Erin Larner and Alicia Barnett left no doubt at No. 2 as the 35th-ranked Northwestern team disposed of Astra Sharma and Ellie Yates, 6-0. The match at No. 1 featured a pair of top-10 ranked teams, but again it was the Wildcats who rolled to a victory. No. 9 Alex Chatt and Maddie Lipp dominated the nation's sixth-ranked team of Sydney Campbell and Courtney Colton, 6-2, as the hosts jumped out in front in the match.
Things continued to go well for Northwestern in singles play beginning with the match at No. 4. Chatt dominated Georgina Sellyn 6-2, 6-0, putting Northwestern up 2-0. However, Vanderbilt evened the match by getting victories from its two nationally ranked players in its lineup at Nos. 1 and 2, No. 20 Sydney Campbell and No. 16 Francis Altick, respectively.
The Commodores went up 3-2 with another win from Yates at No. 6, but moments later Erin Larner finished off Colton 6-4, 6-3, leaving the match to be decided by the contest at No. 5.
After dropping her first set, 6-2, Jillian Rooney battled back to win the second, 6-3. The decisive third set was tied 2-2 when Fernanda Contreras broke and then held to go up 4-2. Rooney held to get within a game and had a pair of break points but wasn't able to cash in as Contreras eventually held en route to the victory.
Northwestern returns to action next Sunday when it takes on Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
#5 Vanderbilt 4, #25 Northwestern 3
Doubles
1. #9 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #9 Sydney Campbell/Courtney Colton (VU) 6-2
2. #35 Alicia Barnett/Erin Larner (NU) def. Astra Sharma/Ellie Yates (VU) 6-0
3. Manon Peri/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) vs. Francis Altick/Fernanda Contreras (VU) 2-4 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 2, 1*
Singles
1. #20 Sydney Campbell (VU) def. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-3, 6-3
2. #16 Francis Altick (VU) def. #51 Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Erin Larner (NU) def. Courtney Colton (VU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Georgina Sellyn (VU) 6-2, 6-0
5. Fernanda Contreras (VU) def. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
6. Ellie Yates (VU) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 1, 2, 6, 4, 5*