May 10, 2008

Results

2008 NCAA Championship Bracket

Northwestern Match Notes

Postmatch Video
Watch Coach Pollard talk about Saturday's match
Watch Pollard discuss the play of Mosolova at No. 1
Watch Rose talk about her match at No. 1 doubles
Watch Rose talk about what lies ahead for the Wildcats

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Top-ranked Northwestern made an early statement in the NCAA Championships this weekend, sweeping 4-0 victories over both Illinois-Chicago and Indiana. The Wildcats move on to face Fresno State in Tulsa, Okla., for the third round (16 remaining teams), which begins May 15. The national championship match is scheduled for May 20.

Since the NCAA tennis tournament began in 1982, the Wildcats now will make their 14th all-time appearance in the round of 16. Northwestern has advanced to the quarterfinal fourth-round three times in program history (1986, 87, 2006).

This year will mark the 'Cats fifth-consecutive trip to the third round. In 2006, the Wildcats reached the quarterfinals for the first time in 19 years.

In its next match, Northwestern will face No. 16-seeded Fresno State, after the Bulldogs' 4-1 second round victory over Arizona State. The third-round is scheduled to take place at the University of Tulsa on Thursday, May 15.

Northwestern swept the doubles point and took a 1-0 match advantage over Indiana in a second-round matchup Saturday. At No. 1, Georgia Rose (Mettawa, Ill./North Shore Country Day) and Lauren Lui (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid) recorded an impressive 8-3 victory over Brianna Williams and Katya Zapadalova. The 19th-ranked duo improves to 15-0 in dual play this season.

The 'Cats clinched the doubles point and secured the 1-0 advantage with an 8-3 win at No. 2. Suzie Matzenauer (Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine) and Samantha Murray (Altrincham, England/Altrincham Grammar) went up early against Indiana's Alba Berdala and Lindsey Stuckey, and never looked back. With the win, the No. 2 pair improves to 13-1 in dual singles this season. The match at No. 3 featuring Maria Mosolova (Moscow, Russia/No. 204) and Nazlie Ghazal (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) was abandoned with the 'Cats leading, 6-5.

Northwestern took its momentum into singles play, jumping out to an early 2-0 match advantage. Mosolova put the 'Cats up two with her second dominating performance of the weekend. The freshman phenom defeated Alba Berdala in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, improving her record to an unprecedented 37-4 on the season.

The Wildcats took a 3-0 match lead, inching closer to advancing, when Liu picked up a straight set victory over Sigrid Fischer at No. 4, 6-2, 6-2. With the win, she improves to 21-0 from No. 4 this season, a position in which she has not lost at in her last 28 attempts. Lui is currently on a team-high 18-match winning streak heading to Tulsa.

Northwestern sealed the match victory, securing a 4-0 shutout victory, when Suzie Matzenauer knocked off Brianna Williams, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 6. Matzenauer continues her solid play from No. 6, improving to 26-2 in dual play this season. She carries a 12-match winning streak into Tulsa.

For a recap of this weekend's regional matchups held in Evanston, please visit the NCAA regional championship website. The NCAA quarterfinals are scheduled for May 17, the semifinals for May 19 and the national championship May 20. After the team championship is decided, the individual singles and doubles championships will be held in Tulsa May 21-26. For additional NCAA Championships information, please visit the official championships website.

Singles competition

1. Maria Mosolova (NU) def. Alba Berdala (IND) 6-2, 6-1
2. Georgia Rose (NU) vs. Katya Zapadalova (IND) 6-1, 3-1, unfinished
3. Samantha Murray (NU) vs. Charlotte Martin (IND) 7-6 (8-6), unfinished
4. Lauren Lui (NU) def. Sigrid Fischer (IND) 6-2, 6-2
5. Nazlie Ghazal (NU) vs. Lindsey Stuckey (IND) 7-6, unfinished
6. Suzie Matzenauer (NU) def. Brianna Williams (IND) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. Georgia Rose/Lauren Lui (NU) def. Brianna Williams/Katya Zapadalova (IND) 8-3

2. Suzie Matzenauer/Samantha Murray (NU) def. Alba Berdala/Lindsey Stuckey (IND) 8-3

3. Maria Mosolova/Nazlie Ghazal (NU) vs. Sigrid Fischer/Myriam Sopel (IND) 6-5, unfinished

Match Notes

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,4,6)
NCAA Regional Second Round