EVANSTON, Ill. -- No. 36 Northwestern closed out the home portion of its regular season Sunday afternoon, pulling out a 4-3 victory over Michigan State at Vandy Christie Tennis Center.
Erin Larner's victory in a second-set tiebreaker clinched the win for the Wildcats (13-10, 9-2 Big Ten).
It was Michigan State (17-7, 7-4 Big Ten) that got off to a good start as it took the doubles point. NU got a convincing 6-2 win from the 50th-ranked team of Larner and Brooke Rischbieth, but the Spartans got a 6-2 victory over their own at No. 1, leaving the match to be decided by the matchup at No. 2. The contest went to a tiebreaker with MSU pulling out a 7-6 (5) victory to go up 1-0 in the match.
Northwestern bounced back in singles play with a trio of convincing wins. At No. 5, Alex Chatt breezed past Athena Trouillot 6-2, 6-2 before Rheeya Doshi picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 3. When Maddie Lipp finished off her 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 2, the Wildcats found themselves in front 3-1.
However, Michigan State picked up two straight-set wins of their own, winning at Nos. 4 and 6 to even the match, leaving things to be decided by the match at No. 1. Larner had a 6-4, 5-2 lead, but Erin Faulker rallied back. The Spartan won three straight games before the contest eventually went to a second-set tiebreaker where Larner dominated, winning 7-2 to give NU the win.
Northwestern and Michigan State will get reacquainted at this week's Big Ten tournament in Urbana, Illinois. The third-seeded Wildcats will take on the sixth-seeded Spartans in a quarterfinal round matchup at 2 p.m.
#36 Northwestern 4, Michigan State 3
Doubles
1. #75 Emily Metcalf/Davina Nguyen (MSU) def. #16 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-2
2. Athena Trouillot/Samantha Memije (MSU) def. Rheeya Doshi/Lee Or (NU) 7-6 (7-5)
3. #50 Erin Larner/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Aslina Chua/Erin Faulkner (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2*
Singles
1. Erin Larner (NU) def. Erin Faulkner (MSU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-2)
2. Maddie Lipp (NU) def. Aslina Chua (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Rheeya Doshi (NU) def. Emily Metcalf (MSU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Davina Nguyen (MSU) def. Lee Or (NU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Athena Trouillot (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Samantha Memije (MSU) def. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 3, 2, 6, 4, 1*
Erin Larner's victory in a second-set tiebreaker clinched the win for the Wildcats (13-10, 9-2 Big Ten).
It was Michigan State (17-7, 7-4 Big Ten) that got off to a good start as it took the doubles point. NU got a convincing 6-2 win from the 50th-ranked team of Larner and Brooke Rischbieth, but the Spartans got a 6-2 victory over their own at No. 1, leaving the match to be decided by the matchup at No. 2. The contest went to a tiebreaker with MSU pulling out a 7-6 (5) victory to go up 1-0 in the match.
Northwestern bounced back in singles play with a trio of convincing wins. At No. 5, Alex Chatt breezed past Athena Trouillot 6-2, 6-2 before Rheeya Doshi picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 3. When Maddie Lipp finished off her 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 2, the Wildcats found themselves in front 3-1.
However, Michigan State picked up two straight-set wins of their own, winning at Nos. 4 and 6 to even the match, leaving things to be decided by the match at No. 1. Larner had a 6-4, 5-2 lead, but Erin Faulker rallied back. The Spartan won three straight games before the contest eventually went to a second-set tiebreaker where Larner dominated, winning 7-2 to give NU the win.
Northwestern and Michigan State will get reacquainted at this week's Big Ten tournament in Urbana, Illinois. The third-seeded Wildcats will take on the sixth-seeded Spartans in a quarterfinal round matchup at 2 p.m.
#36 Northwestern 4, Michigan State 3
Doubles
1. #75 Emily Metcalf/Davina Nguyen (MSU) def. #16 Alex Chatt/Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-2
2. Athena Trouillot/Samantha Memije (MSU) def. Rheeya Doshi/Lee Or (NU) 7-6 (7-5)
3. #50 Erin Larner/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) def. Aslina Chua/Erin Faulkner (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2*
Singles
1. Erin Larner (NU) def. Erin Faulkner (MSU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-2)
2. Maddie Lipp (NU) def. Aslina Chua (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Rheeya Doshi (NU) def. Emily Metcalf (MSU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Davina Nguyen (MSU) def. Lee Or (NU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Athena Trouillot (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Samantha Memije (MSU) def. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 3, 2, 6, 4, 1*