ST. PAUL, Minn. - For the first time in history, a home University of Northwestern Women's Tennis match was broadcast live online; and the Eagles made it worth the watch. Battling back-and-forth with the University of Wisconsin-Stout all night, UNW needed a third-set tiebreaker win in the No. 6 singles match to secure the 4-3 win, and freshman
Abby Cimenski (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids) delivered in the clutch to end the regular season on a high note.
The Blue Devils took the No. 3 doubles match by a 6-2 score, meaning Northwestern needed to win the other two in order to clinch what turned out to be a crucial doubles point. The hosts did that, as
Aby Ross (Chico, Calif./Central) and
Anne Clarke (Granite Falls, Minn./Yellow Medicine East) won 6-0 in the No. 2 match, and
Rein Hayashi (Kyoto, Japan/Kansai Christian School) and
Sarah Langridge (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) won 6-2 at No. 1.
Stout was able to tie the match at one with a 6-0, 6-0 win over
Hannah Hyttsten (Becker, Minn./Becker) at No. 4 singles, but
Sarah Langridge (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) continued her elite singles play with a 6-0, 6-3 win in the No. 2 spot. At No. 5,
Anne Clarke (Granite Falls, Minn./Yellow Medicine East) won by a 6-1, 6-2 margin to put the Eagles just one point away from the team win, but the No. 1 match went to UWS over Hayashi, 6-3, 6-4. After Ross took a 4-6, 4-6 loss at No. 3 singles, all eyes turned to court six, where the winner of the No. 6 match would determine the victor. Cimenski looked great early in a 6-3, set one win, but dropped the second, 1-6. The freshman was able to outlast her opponent to win the tiebreaker, 10-6, to seal the 4-3 win for UNW.
Northwestern will now turn its eyes to the postseason, where Greenville University awaits in the UMAC Tournament Semifinals on Friday at Baseline Tennis Center. First serve in Minneapolis is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
