The women's tennis team (5-0 Big Ten, 10-3 overall) experienced another successful weekend as it swept the state of Michigan, leaving both Michigan (0-2 Big Ten, 4-5 overall) and Michigan State (1-3 Big Ten, 9-7 overall) in the dust. The Badgers defeated Michigan 6-1 Saturday and handed the Michigan State Spartans a 4-3 loss Sunday.
The team struggled at first Saturday against Michigan after the duo of senior Katie Dougherty and sophomore Teresa Gonzaga dropped its set, but the women fought back and earned the doubles point with wins from freshmen Lindsay Martin and Katie McGaffigan and the No. 1 team of juniors Lara Vojnov and Linde Mues. The Badgers maintained their advantage throughout the day, as only Dougherty fell to Michigan junior Jen Duprez 6-2 and 6-1.
UW extended its perfect Big Ten run Sunday, although not without its share of struggles. The team suffered on the doubles play, dropping two of its three matches but fought back to win four of six singles matches. Mues, McGaffigan, sophomore Shana McElroy and Dougherty all pulled off singles wins for UW. The team next faces Marquette Wednesday.
The women's diving team competed at the NCAA Zone C Qualifying meet Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind., but none of Wisconsin's three divers placed high enough to advance to the championship, which will be held in Austin, Texas March 21-23.
Seniors Siobhan and Megan Kernan each competed for the last time, placing sixth and tenth in platform diving, respectively. Sophomore K.C. Bunnell also competed for the Badgers, taking 12th in the platform and 19th in three-meter diving. Both Kernan sisters also placed in the three-meter, with Siobhan earning eighth place and Megan coming in 21st.
The women's golf team earned its fourth-consecutive top-five tournament finish after they took fourth at the Hatter Spring Fling in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Wisconsin got off to a solid start Saturday, thanks to junior Katie Connelly and sophomore Malinda Johnson, who each shot a 74 to sit at third place. Sophomore Emily Hendricks, senior Heidi Knojes and junior Carli Gregorin also placed for Wisconsin, taking 32nd, 37th and 44th, respectively.
Day two brought Wisconsin more first-place finishes, as Connelly shot a 75 to tie for third with a final score of 149 and Johnson placed seventh after shooting a 77 to finish with a 151.
The No. 25 Wisconsin softball team advanced to the semifinals of the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif., where they dropped to the California Golden Bears 1-0.
Wisconsin produced a 5-2 record in the tournament. Its only losses, the other of which occurred Friday against No. 5 Nebraska, were both against top-10 teams in the NCAA.
Junior pitcher Andrea Kirchberg allowed only five hits and had four strikeouts against the Golden Bears. She was named to the all-tournament team and had 34 strikeouts in the four games she pitched. Sophomore Meghann Reiss led the team in batting in Sunday's game, hitting two of three at bats and earning her sixth double of the year.
The team will next travel to the Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla., March 22-24.
