Michigan
Northwestern
Michigan Takes Down Northwestern with Strong Singles Play
4/5/2026 6:52:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Site: Evanston, Ill. (Combe Tennis Center)
Score: #17 Michigan 4, Northwestern 1
Records: U-M (12-6, 9-1 Big Ten), NU (12-8, 5-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 11 -- vs. Maryland (Varsity Tennis Center), Noon
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team moved to 9-1 in Big Ten play, winning four straight-set singles matches after dropping the doubles point in a 4-1 win over Northwestern on Sunday afternoon (April 5) at the Combe Tennis Center.
Michigan struck first in doubles, getting a 6-1 win from Lily Jones and Jessica Bernales at No. 1. Northwestern secured the doubles point by taking the next two matches, carrying a 1-0 lead into singles play.
Needing four singles wins, Michigan claimed four first sets from Jones (No. 2), Reese Miller (No. 3), Emily Sartz-Lunde (No. 4) and Bernales (No. 5).
Bernales quickly evened the match at 1-1, dropping just two games in a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 5.
Jones followed with a 6-3, 6-3 victory at No. 2 to give Michigan its first lead at 2-1. She broke early in the opening set and maintained control, then secured the decisive break at 4-3 in the second before closing it out.
Piper Charney (No. 1) and Laura Rahnel (No. 6) each rebounded from first-set losses to force third sets. Rahnel rolled to a 6-0 second set, while Charney won the final four games of her second set to extend her match.
With Michigan needing two more points, Sartz-Lunde and Miller were both closing in on wins.
Sartz-Lunde delivered Michigan's third point with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 4. After falling behind early in the first set, she quickly recovered and controlled the remainder of the match.
Miller clinched the team victory, winning 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3. After trailing 3-1 in the second set, she responded by dropping just one more game to secure the win.
Michigan returns to the Varsity Tennis Center next weekend, hosting Maryland on Saturday (April 11) for Senior Day. U-M will honor Jones and Bayley Sheinin, with first serve set for noon.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 6 Piper Charney (U-M) vs. No. 89 Margot Phanthala (NU), 4-6, 6-3, 2-3, abandoned
No. 2 -- No. 22 Lily Jones (U-M) d. Neena Feldman (NU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 -- No. 112 Reese Miller (U-M) d. Autumn Rabjohns (NU), 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 -- Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M) d. Mika Dagan Fruchtman (NU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 -- Jessica Bernales (U-M) d. Erica Jessel (NU), 6-1, 6-1
No. 6 -- Laura Rahnel (U-M) vs. Marelie Raath (NU), 2-6, 6-0, 4-2, abandoned
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 37 Lily Jones/Jessica Bernales (U-M) d. No. 42 Erica Jessel/Margot Phanthala (NU), 6-1
No. 2 -- Neena Feldman/Marelie Raath (NU) d. Laura Rahnel/Reese Miller (U-M), 6-3
No. 3 -- Autumn Rabjohns/Mika Dagan Fruchtman (NU) d. No. 76 Piper Charney/Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M), 6-4
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-2-3; Singles 5-2-4-3
Players Mentioned
