MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Northwestern Women's Tennis team found itself in a familiar spot Friday afternoon, once again playing in the UMAC Women's Tennis Tournament Semifinals. The Eagles have made the tournament every year of the NCAA Division III era, and 2026 was no different. As the North Division's No. 2 seed in the tournament, UNW was paired with Greenville University, who won the South Division title with a perfect 4-0 record (17-7 overall). The Panthers proved their impressive record was no fluke, clinching a 4-0 win to end Northwestern's season at the University of Minnesota's Baseline Tennis Center.
UNW was competitive in doubles play, but was unable to flip any of the matches to its side.
Rein Hayashi (Kyoto, Japan/Kansai Christian School) and
Sarah Langridge (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) lost 2-6 in the No. 1 match, while the No. 2 (
Aby Ross (Chico, Calif./Central),
Anne Clarke (Granite Falls, Minn./Yellow Medicine East)) and No. 3 (
Hannah Hyttsten (Becker, Minn./Becker),
Abby Cimenski (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids)) teams each lost by 3-6 scores.
With clinching rules in play, Greenville needed just three singles wins for the match to be called and the remaining players pulled off the court. The Panthers quickly got one of the three in the No. 1 match, where Hayashi suffered a 1-6, 1-6 defeat despite winning the first game of the first set. After Hyttsten fell 3-6, 2-6 at No. 4 singles, GU needed to win just one of the remaining four matches to advance to Saturday's championship match. That win came at No. 3, where Ross went down 4-6, 2-6. At the time they were pulled off the court, Langridge trailed 3-6, 2-4 in the No. 2 match and Cimenski was tied 1-1 in set one of the No. 6 tilt. Clarke lost 1-6 in the opening set of the No. 5 match, but led 3-2 in the second.
The Eagles' season concludes with an 11-16 record, and a 4-1 UMAC mark. There are no seniors on the roster, but Friday was the final match for captain
Aby Ross (Chico, Calif./Central), who ends her career with 75 wins in just three seasons, which ties her for 15th in program history. Thank you, Aby, for your incredible leadership and spirit!
