NEW ULM, Minn. – One match stood between the University of Northwestern Women's Tennis team and a trip to the UMAC Tournament, where it will look to win its fourth consecutive title. After sweeping the University of Minnesota Morris 9-0 on Thursday, Northwestern found itself tied with Martin Luther College, boasting matching 3-1 UMAC records. The conference schedule couldn't have scripted better drama, as the Knights and Eagles were matched up with one another on the final Saturday of the regular season, with the winner clinching the second North Division berth up for grabs. UNW took advantage of the opportunity and did exactly what it did on April 10
th in St. Paul, sweeping MLC 9-0 to punch its ticket to the conference semifinals.
As if there wasn't enough déjà vu with what the final score ended up being, the doubles matches played in New Ulm on Saturday certainly produced some as well. All three matches ended in identical 8-2 scores in favor of the Eagles. It was the usual suspects who got the job done:
Annie Orvis (Rochester, Minn/Schaeffer Academy) and
Abby Johnson (Zimmerman, Minn./Homeschool) on the #1 team,
Elise Jarchow (Luverne, Minn./Luverne) and
Analise Marquardt (Parkers Prairie, Minn./Parkers Prairie) at #2, and
Abigail Ross (Chico, Calif./Central) and
Rayna Baumgarn (Holmen, Wis./Holmen) in the #3 match.
Northwestern left no doubt in its quest for the postseason, despite taking a 3-0 lead into singles play. Orvis took care of business at #1 singles, 6-3, 6-0, then Jarchow won 6-4, 6-1 in the #3 match to clinch the team win for the Eagles and lock up their spot in Friday's semifinals. Next off was Ross after a 6-4, 6-0 win in #5 singles, followed by Johnson, who won 6-0, 6-2 in her usual #2 spot. Baumgarn won her #6 singles match 6-2, 6-0, then Marquardt put the exclamation point on the 9-0 sweep with a 6-4, 6-2 at #4.
The Eagles will travel south to St. Louis for the UMAC Women's Tennis Tournament next week, which it has won three years in a row (2021-2023). Play will begin Friday with UNW taking on Principia College, champion of the UMAC South Division with a 3-0 conference record, at 1:00 PM. If the matches are moved indoors, it will begin at 12:00 PM. Stay tuned to unweagles.com and follow @unweagles and @unwtennis for more coverage.
