March 22, 2012

No. 14 Northwestern (7-6, 1-0 Big Ten) vs. Iowa (6-6, 0-1 Big Ten)
Saturday, March 24
Vandy Christie Tennis Center
Evanston, Ill. • 11 a.m.
Live Stats: NUSports.com

No. 14 Northwestern (7-6, 1-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 25 Nebraska (15-1, 1-0 Big Ten)
Sunday, March 25
Vandy Christie Tennis Center
Evanston, Ill. • 11 a.m.
Live Stats: NUSports.com

EVANSTON, Ill. -- With a four-match road trip behind them, the Northwestern Wildcats return home to host a pair of Big Ten foes at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center this weekend. The Iowa Hawkeyes will swoop in on Saturday, March 23 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers will come in for the second time this season on Sunday, March 24. Both matches are set for 11 a.m.

Home Sweet Home
The Wildcats return home Saturday for the first time since Feb. 24 when they battled the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Combe Tennis Center. Northwestern has gone 2-2 since that match with the victories coming on March 9 against Illinois and March 21 versus DePaul. NU is 3-1 in Evanston this season with its lone loss coming against the Yellow Jackets.

Let The Sun Shine
The two matches this weekend are the first to be scheduled outdoors on the courts at the newly resurfaced Vandy Christie Tennis Center. Fans, please note that all varsity matches will now be held on the six courts south of Dartmouth Street between Dartmouth and Noyes Avenue, just west of Sheridan Road. In the event of inclement weather at any point throughout the season, matches will be relocated inside to the Combe Tennis Center.

Battling the Best
Of Northwestern's 13 matches in 2012, nine have come against teams listed in the top-25 of the Campbell/ITA team rankings. The Wildcats hosted No. 15 Vanderbilt to open the season on Jan. 19 and from Feb. 3 to March 4, they played eight-straight contests against teams ranked 17th or higher -- four of which resided in the top-10. Every opponent the Wildcats have faced has been ranked in the top-60 at one point this year.

Topsy Turvy
For the first time in her career, junior Kate Turvy has occupied the No. 1 slot in the singles lineup. The Ohio native is tied for the team lead with eight singles wins this season, five of which have come versus opponents in the top-50 of the Campbell/ITA singles rankings. Turvy, who was ranked 16th in the latest edition, has won three straight singles tilts.

Fresh Face
Veronica Corning transferred to Northwestern to begin the winter quarter and joined the squad immediately. The Massachusetts native spent her first collegiate year at Boston College, where she helped the Golden Eagles achieve their highest-ever ITA ranking (No. 33) and their best-ever finish in the ACC. The sophomore has won five singles matches for the 'Cats, including each of her last two. She also owns three doubles victories for the the purple and white this season.

Cosmic Connection
Kate Turvy and Belinda Niu have been unbeatable together in doubles play this season. The duo possesses a spotless 8-0 record as a tandem in 2012. When paired with anyone else on the roster, Turvy and Niu are winless in nine matches.

Poll Presence
The Wildcats currently sit ranked 14th in latest ITA poll (March 20). NU moved down one spot after not playing during its week of final exams. Northwestern, which has been ranked in the top-15 all season, was ranked 12th to open the 2012 campaign.

Individually, Turvy and Brittany Wowchuk are ranked as the No. 16 and No. 61 players in the nation, respectively. The two 'Cats have both been ranked in every poll this season, for nine consecutive weeks. On Feb. 16, Turvy reached her highest point in the polls to date, topping out at No. 11, and Wowchuk reached her highest ranking at No. 45. NU's fearsome doubles tandem of Linda Abu Mushrefova and Nida Hamilton, who have played together in all but four matches, continue to sit among the top-15 in the country, most recently earning the No. 14 spot.

Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa comes to Evanston with a record of six wins and six losses in dual play this season. The Hawkeyes dropped their lone Big Ten match of the season to this point, a 6-1 decision against the Huskers on March 9.

The black and gold have been paced this spring by the play of senior Sonja Molnar. Molnar won both matches on the team's spring break trip to Florida and has a dual match record of 9-3. In doubles action, freshmen Ellen Silver and Katie Zordani are a team-best 7-2 in dual matches while playing together at the No.2 and 3 spots.

Scouting the Cornhuskers
Though the match did not count in the Big Ten standings, the Wildcats have seen Nebraska once already this season. The red and white were in town for an ITA National Team Indoor Championship qualifying match on Jan. 29. Northwestern escaped with a 4-3 win and, to date, that is the only blemish on the Husker record this year.

Nebraska has two singles players featured in the latest ITA rankings. Mary Weatherholt checks in at No. 58, while Janine Weinreich is 101st. NU's Kate Turvy knocked off Weatherholt in straight sets earlier this season, while Linda Abu Mushrefova topped Weinreich in two sets that day as well.

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