April 28, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn - With Northwestern's 4-1 win over Iowa in the semifinal matchup of the 2007 Big Ten Tournament, the Purple and White exposed the all too naked truth. That even with a string of seven conference titles and eight tournament wins and counting, this program is hardly satisfied. Northwestern enters Sunday's final match at the Baseline Tennis Center on campus of the University of Minnesota looking for a record-tying ninth-straight Big Ten title.

In doubles action, partners Alexis Conill and Samantha Murray were on their way to an 8-2 run at No. 3 while teammates Alexis Prousis and Georiga Rose were trading games with Jacqueline Lee and Milica Veselinovic at the No. 1 position. The #10-nationally ranked Wildcat pair finally broke the Hawkeyes serve in the seventh game to take the lead 4-3. The bandit-like duo broke twice more before clinching the doubles point for Northwestern, 8-4.

The Wildcats added two quick points in the No. 6 and No. 5 singles spots to go up 3-0 on the Hawkeyes when No. 6 Suzie Matzenauer (6-0, 6-1) and No. 5 Nazlie Ghazal (6-1, 6-2) won in straight sets over Kelcie Klockenga and Kayla Berry, respectively.

After dropping her first set 0-6, Hillary Mintz answered with 6-1 and 6-4 second and third set wins over Prousis at No. 3 to put Iowa on the board 3-1.

However, it was only fitting that the Big Ten Player of the Year, Georgia Rose, clinched the final point for Northwestern. It was Rose's first singles match back since April 13th, but the ferocious sophomore warmed up quickly after a 7-6 (3) tie-breaker first set to blank Lee, 6-1 in the second.

With the loss, Iowa ends its season with a 12-10 overall record.

Big Ten Women's Tennis

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