ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern women's tennis team hosted both the University of Minnesota Morris Cougars and the Bethany Lutheran College Vikings on Saturday. The matches were the first of the season for the Eagles on their home courts; the Johnson Tennis Complex.
UNW gave the home crowd a lot to cheer for as they won all 18 matches on the day; sweeping both UMM and BLC. With the wins, the Eagles remain undefeated in conference play at 3-0 on the season while improving to 10-3 overall.
Match One: Eagles 9, Cougars 0
In their first match of the day, the Eagles cruised through doubles.
Belinda Weddle (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) and
Annie Orvis (Rochester, Minn/Schaeffer Academy) earned the first points of the day with an 8-1 victory in the #1 match.
Analise Marquardt (Parkers Prairie, Minn./Parkers Prairie) and
Elise Jarchow (Luverne, Minn./Luverne) followed with an 8-1 win at #3 doubles.
Taylar Smith (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) and
Elli Dodge (Wahpeton, N.D./Wahpeton) closed out the doubles competition with an 8-4 win in the #2 match.
UNW entered singles play up 3-0 and never slowed down. Weddle earned the fourth team point for Northwestern with a 6-1, 6-1 win at #1 singles. The team match was clinched at #3 singles where Smith earned a 6-1, 6-4 win for the deciding fifth point.
With the match secured, UNW just kept on rolling. Orvis rallied to win a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-2) win at #2 singles. Marquardt swept her #6 singles opponent 6-0, 6-0. Dodge won the #4 match 6-2, 6-3. Jarchow completed the 9-0 sweep for Northwestern with a 6-2, 6-1 win in #5 singles.
Match Two: Eagles 9, Vikings 0
The duo of
Caitlyn Swigart (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) and
Taylor Wentland (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln) earned the first UNW point with an 8-0 sweep in #3 doubles. Jarchow and Marquardt followed with an 8-1 win at #2 doubles. Smith and Dodge closed out the doubles competition with an 8-1 win at the #1 match.
Up 3-0, Orvis got the Eagles one point away from another team win by taking #2 singles in a clean 6-0, 6-0 sweep. Jarchow clinched the match for UNW with a 6-1, 6-0 win at #4 singles.
Rayna Baumgarn (Holmen, Wis./Holmen) earned a hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6) win in the #5 singles match. Dodge followed with a 6-4, 6-0 finish to take #3 singles. Weddle won the #1 singles match with a 6-0, 7-5 final.
Grace Buswell (Winona, Minn/Winona) closed out the 9-0 team sweep with a sweep of her own, taking #6 singles 6-0, 6-0.
Up Next
Northwestern will take a visit to New Ulm for a conference contest at Martin Luther College. The Eagles will take on the Knights starting at 3:00 P.M. on Wednesday, April 13.
