Michigan
Northwestern
Wolverines Rally to Claim B1G Tournament Title
4/29/2018 6:07:00 PM | Women's Tennis
» Michigan won the final two singles matches on court in three sets, clinching the third Big Ten Tournament title in program history.
» U-M got singles wins from Brienne Minor, Alyvia Jones, Kate Fahey and Chiara Lommer to account for its four points. Lommer clinched the match, rallying from a 3-0 hole in the third set for a 6-4 win.
» The match can be seen tomorrow (Monday, April 30) at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Baseline Tennis Center)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Championship)
Score: #23 Michigan 4, #11 Northwestern 3
Records: U-M (17-9), NU (21-5)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, May 1 -- NCAA Selection, 5 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Sophomore Chiara Lommer rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the third set to clinch the Big Ten Tournament Championship for the No. 23-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team in a 4-3 win over No. 11-ranked Northwestern on Sunday afternoon (April 29) at the Baseline Tennis Center.
With the team match tied at 3, it all came down to No. 2 and Lommer. She fell behind, 3-0, to start the third and was down a break at 3-1, when Lommer slowly climbed back in the set, holding on a deuce point that lasted 1:25 to cut Maddie Lipp's lead to 4-3. Lommer won the first three points of the next game on Lipp's serve, eventually taking the game on a crosscourt winner to tie the set at 4.
In her service game, Lommer took a 30-15 lead but Lipp won two straight points for a 40-30 lead. Lipp was overruled on a line call to move the game to deuce point. Lommer once again came through on a deuce point to take a 5-4 lead and send Lipp back to serve for the match.
Following a medical timeout, Lipp went back to serve for the match. Lommer won the set at love, taking advantage of a double fault and a couple of long balls from Lipp to clinch the Michigan victory.
Lommer was put in position to clinch the win after junior Kate Fahey grabbed a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win at No. 1. Fahey broke NU's Erin Larner at 4-3 in the third and held on her serve for a 5-3 lead. Fahey had a pair of match points in the next game but Larner fought both of them off to force Fahey to serve it out. The Wolverine junior fell in a 15-40 hole but won three straight points to put Michigan's third point on the board.
U-M won the first two matches off court in singles to erase a 1-0 Northwestern lead after doubles. Junior Brienne Minor made quick work of Lee Or at No. 3, dropping just four games in a 6-1, 6-3 win.
Freshman Alyvia Jones accounted for U-M's second point of the day behind a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 4. After coasting in the first set, Jones took a break midway through the second and held on her serve for a 5-3 lead. Both players held as Jones served out the match for the win and the second point of the day.
NU won at Nos. 5 and 6 to take a 3-2 lead and set up the final sequence.
U-M will now await selection to the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced on Tuesday (May 1) at 5 p.m.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 31 Kate Fahey (U-M) d. Erin Larner (NU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
No. 2 -- No. 101 Chiara Lommer (U-M) d. Maddie Lipp (NU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
No. 3 -- Brienne Minor (U-M) d. Lee Or (NU), 6-1, 6-3
No. 4 -- Alyvia Jones (U-M) d. Julie Byrne (NU), 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 -- Alex Chatt (NU) d. Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M), 6-3, 7-5
No. 6 -- Rheeya Doshi (NU) d. Bella Lorenzini (U-M), 6, 3-6, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 -- Erin Larner/Maddie Lipp (NU) d. Brienne Minor/Kate Fahey (U-M), 6-3
No. 2 -- Alyvia Jones/Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) vs. Lee Or/Alex Chatt (NU), 3-4 abandoned
No. 3 --Â Julie Byrne/Rheeya Doshi (NU) d. Lera Patiuk/Chiara Lommer (U-M), 6-3
Order of Completion: 1-3; Singles 3-4-5-6-1-2
Players Mentioned
