Follow along below for updates.
No. 35 Northwestern women’s tennis takes on No. 26 Arizona State in the first round of the NCAA tournament starting at 12:00 p.m. CDT in Malibu, California. Follow along here for live updates as the ‘Cats look to advance to a potential matchup vs. regional hosts No. 6 Pepperdine.
Arizona State 4-3 Northwestern
A great season ends in heartbreak. It was a valiant effort from NU’s Christina Hand in the deciding match, but she ultimately ran out of gas in the third set tiebreak, losing it 7-1. She will certainly rue those three match points lost for a long time to come. And after leading 3-0 at one point, Northwestern just didn’t do enough in the remaining singles matches to keep the pressure on Arizona State.
Argyrokastriti saves another two match points
To a tiebreak we go. Hand created two more match points at 5-6, 30-40 after Argyrokastriti double faulted at 30-30, but could not convert. On the first, Hand prematurely rushed the net and was burned with an expert two-shot pass. The second was a wild cat-and-mouse exchange which ended with Hand missing a backhand down the line. Hand looks fatigued — will she have enough in the tank for the tiebreak?
Hand fails to covert match point
With Argyrokastriti serving at 4-5, 40-15, Hand played two remarkably aggressive points and finished them both at the net to set up a match point at deuce. Sticking to her guns, she went for the kill-shot on a forehand down the line but missed by about a foot, leveling the third set at 5-5. Hand bounced back in her next service game however, coming up with a few simply ridiculous passing shots to hold and put the pressure right back on Argyrokastriti.
Controversy!
With Christina Hand serving at 3-3, deuce, she sends a stretching forehand volley looping onto the right sideline. Argyrokastriti calls it out, but the umpire overrules! Hand holds for 4-3.
Northwestern 3-3 Arizona State
A dramatic turn of events. Within the space of ten minutes, ASU levels the match with straight sets wins at No. 4, No. 5, and No. 2. Northwestern had it’s chances in those second sets — Pratt held a break lead twice but lost 7-5, Rabjohns served for the set at 5-3 but was edged narrowly in a tiebreak, and Leong led 4-2 but lost four straight games to end the match. It all comes down to Christina Hand vs. Marianna Argyrokastriti. 3-3, third set.
Northwestern 3-0 Arizona State
Lau and Shusharina both win! The heroes of the doubles point strike again in singles. Lau gets the job done 6-2, 6-4, while Shusharina converts her third match point and wins 6-4, 6-4. NU now just needs one more win to clinch. Hand is at 1-1 in the third set, while the ‘Cats are down a set in the other three but have a serious chance to win the second set in each of those matches.
Hand levels match, Pratt and Rabjohns fighting back
Hand jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set and closed it out 6-3 to take it the distance. After their opponents comfortably took the first set, both Pratt and Kiley Rabjohns are playing highly competitive second sets. Pratt has been up a break twice but now leads 4-3 on serve, while Rabjohns came back from down 3-1 to lead 5-3, before getting broken while serving for the set. Shusharina will serve for her match at 5-3 in the second, while Lau finds herself at 4-4 in the second after taking the first. Folks, this one is very close.
Shusharina takes first set, Leong loses it
Shusharina closed out her first set with a spectacular point at 5-4, 40-40 and now leads by a break in the second. Leong, meanwhile, found a way to level the set at 5-5 but lost it 7-5 after double faulting on set point. Leong has played a high quality match against a hard-hitting opponent in Chelsea Fontenel, but those service slip-ups are costing her. That’s four of the six first sets for ASU, so Northwestern needs to comeback in at least one that it trails in. Hand at No. 3 looks the closest to doing that as she leads 4-1 in the second set after dropping the first 6-3.
Advantage ASU in singles
Arizona State has already claimed three first sets at the No. 3, 4 and 5 spots. Lau gets one for the ‘Cats at No. 6, winning 6-2. The other two sets are entering their latter stages. Shusharina was up 5-2 at No. 1 but must now serve for the set again at 5-4. At No. 2, Leong led 3-0, but consecutive double faults at 40-30 in that game turned the set on its head and she now trails 5-4.
Singles Lineups
One change for coach Claire Pollard, as Britany Lau replaces Neena Feldman at No. 6 singles after Feldman came in for one match against Ohio State. We won’t be able to follow along too closely with Lau’s match because she’s apparently playing on Court 8, which isn’t even an option on the livestream.
Northwestern takes the doubles point!
Lau and Shusharina serve out the set and win it 6-4! Northwestern has taken a dramatic doubles point, with all three sets coming down to the wire. Much needed for the ‘Cats, who have relied on that point for so much of this season.
It comes down to No. 3…
Hand and Leong can’t break from 15-40 and lose their set 6-3. Pratt and Feldman’s opponents double fault at deuce to hand the ‘Cats a 6-4 set at that spot. Lau puts away a volley at 4-4, deuce and NU will serve for the doubles point…
All three back on serve
Hand and Leong break back to love! Feldman and Pratt get another hold at deuce, which puts all three matches on serve midway through the set. We’re getting to crunch time.
‘Cats keeping it tight
Pratt and Feldman with a gutsy hold from down 0-40 to keep their set on serve, now 3-3. Lau and Shusharina are broken back, however and now trail 3-2. Hand and Leong still down a break, with the other two on serve.
One break for each side
Hand and Leong have started out of the gates slowly, getting broken in their first service game and going down 0-3. Lau and Shusharina just won a deuce point to go up a 2-1 break lead, while Feldman and Pratt lead 2-1, on serve.
Play begins!
Northwestern rolls out its usual doubles lineup. Christina Hand and Justine Leong at No. 1, Sydney Pratt and Neena Feldman at No. 2, and Britany Lau and Maria Shusharina at No. 3.