Northwestern Wins Third-Consecutive Big Ten Title – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 29, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Northwestern claimed the Big Ten Title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a defeat of Illinois today in the Big Ten Championship at the Stickney Tennis Center. Ninth-ranked and No. 1 seed Northwestern, who also won the conference’s regular-season title, topped No. 2 seed Illinois, 4-2, in the final.
The Fighting Illini started the match well, winning the doubles point with victories at Nos. 2 and 3. Carla Rosenberg and Eva Choe posted a win over the Wildcats’ Lia Jackson and Jessica Rush, 8-4, at No. 2 and at No. 3 Illinois’ Jenny McGaffigan and Eldina Fazlic topped Simona Petrutiu and Shannon Duffy, 8-5.
Northwestern came back to win the championship with four singles victories. At No. 1, Colleen Cheng clinched the win for Northwestern with a three-set victory (6-4, 0-6, 6-3) over McGaffigan. Jackson won at No. 2 over Fazlic (6-2, 6-1), Marine Piriou topped Tiffany Eklov at No. 4 (6-0, 6-2) and at No. 5 Petrutiu beat Michelle Webb, 7-5, 6-3. The No. 6 match was abandoned with Rush and Rosenberg tied in the third set.
Simone Kung won at No. 3 over Duffy, 6-0, 6-2, for the Illini’s lone singles win.
Thursday, May 3, the NCAA will announce the draw for the 2001 NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship.
2001 Big Ten Women’s Tennis Championship Stickney Tennis Center, Columbus, Ohio Final, April 29, 2001
No. 1 Northwestern 4, No. 2 Illinois 2 Doubles 1. Cheng/Piriou (NU) vs. Webb/Kung (UI) 7-5 (NU) abd. 2. Rosenberg/Choe (UI) def. Jackson/Rush (NU) 8-4 3. McGaffigan/Fazlic (UI) def. Petrutiu/Duffy (NU) 8-5 Singles *1. Colleen Cheng (NU) def. Jenny McGaffigan (UI) 6-4, 0-6, 6-3 2. Lia Jackson (NU) def. Eldina Fazlic (UI) 6-2, 6-2 3. Simone Kung (UI) def. Shannon Duffy (NU) 6-0, 6-2 4. Marine Piriou (NU) def. Tiffany Eklov (UI) 6-0, 6-2 5. Simona Petrutiu (NU) def. Michelle Webb (UI) 7-5, 6-3 6. Jessica Rush (NU) vs. Carla Rosenberg (UI) 6-4 (NU), 6-3 (UI), 3-3 abd.
*Win clinched match
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