April 6, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 20th-ranked University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team hits the road once again, this time for a showdown with 16th-ranked Northwestern at 4:00 (ET) on Thursday at the Combe Indoor Tennis Center in Evanston, Ill. The Irish currently stand at 11-8 on the season and are on a two-match winning streak.
Three Irish players remain in the ITA rankings in singles, led by junior Kristy Frilling (Sidney, Ohio), who checks in at third in the most recent polls (March 29). Shannon Mathews (Birmingham, Mich.) and Jennifer Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.) join Frilling in the polls, coming in at 63rd and 105th, respectively. Frilling and Mathews also rank as the 22nd best doubles team in the nation, while currently riding a 12-match winning streak on the dual season.
The two teams have met 35 times in program history with Northwestern holding a 24-11 advantage in the series, including 15-11 during head coach Jay Louderback’s tenure with the Irish. In the two teams’ most recent meeting, however, the Irish upended the top-ranked Wildcats, 5-2, at the Eck Tennis Center on Feb. 21, 2010.
Northwestern carries an 11-5 record this season, including 7-1 in home contests. The Wildcats are currently enjoying a six-match winning streak, most recently winning three straight matchups against Wisconsin (7-0), Ohio State (5-2) and Penn State (7-0) in Big Ten showdowns.
Maria Mosolova, who ranks as the 16th best singles player in the country, leads Northwestern into Thursday’s matchup. Frilling has experience over the Wildcats leader, however, having defeated her during the tour season in the semifinals of the USTA/ITA Midwest Championships, 6-4, 6-2. In doubles, Northwestern turns to the pairing of Linda Abu Musherefova and Nida Hamilton, who enter the match ranked seventh.
Live scoring can be tracked through NUsports.com and a complete recap of the match will be posted to und.com shortly following the conclusion of the contest.
–ND–