The UW women's tennis team looked sharp Sunday afternoon despite a two-week layoff, taking down Missouri 5-2 in a non-conference matchup at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
The Badgers (0-1 Big Ten, 4-6 overall) were led by junior Elizabeth Carpenter, freshman Jessica Seyferth and senior Chelsea Nusslock. All three played a part in each of the five points UW scored in the match.
At No. 2 doubles, Nusslock, along with fellow senior Morgan Tuttle, defeated Kaitlyn Ritchie and Sofia Ayala 8-4 in the first completed doubles match. According to Nusslock, the Badger duo's execution of the lob, a defensive shot hit over the opponent's heads when they approach the net, was critical in the win.
Carpenter and Seyferth clinched the doubles point for the Badgers at No. 1 by upending the Tiger combination of Mallory Weber and Chrissy Svetlic 8-6. The Badgers rallied down 5-3 to win five of the last six games and take the match.
The match marked the third time in the past four contests the Badgers began the match by taking the doubles point.
It was huge to get the doubles point again,"" UW coach Brian Fleishman said. ""I knew this team would be better in singles, so I prepared the team in our huddle between singles and doubles that it was going to be a battle.""
At No. 1 singles, Carpenter cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Missouri's Weber. The Sierra Madre, Calif., native frustrated Weber with consistency and great defense using primarily a backhand slice, forcing Weber into multiple unforced errors. Weber was one of the hardest hitters Carpenter had seen yet.
""I really just had to make sure I got the point started, and she was making errors,"" Carpenter said. ""So it was kind of just me being patient, being in the point, that really won the match.""
Nusslock also used poise and steadiness to win her match, a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Ritchie at the No. 6 spot.
Finishing just before Nusslock at the No. 4 position, Seyferth won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, over Kaitlin Dunham of Missouri (8-4 overall).
The Badgers will face one of their toughest opponents on the schedule this season, as they head to Evanston, Ill., this Friday to take on No. 1 Northwestern. The Wildcats (2-0 Big Ten, 11-1 overall) have won five straight, with their only dual loss coming to No. 2 Georgia Tech in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Indoor finals in Madison in early February.
""Having a win going into that, at least we know we can do it. We get an opportunity to play the best team in the nation, not a lot of people get to do that. We're excited just to compete.""
Men's squad
The No. 62 men's tennis team will prepare to host No. 71 Northwestern this Saturday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
The Badgers (0-0 Big Ten, 5-5 overall) will look to stay on the winning track following a 6-1 win over in-state rival Marquette last Wednesday in Madison.
Senior Nolan Polley, who won in straight sets in singles and combined with sophomore Moritz Baumann for a triumph at No. 2 doubles, took home Big Ten Tennis Athlete of the Week honors for his efforts. It was the first such honor for a Badger tennis player since April 2006, when senior Jeremy Sonkin, then a sophomore, took home the award.
Prior to Wednesday's victory, UW suffered five consecutive road defeats, all at the hands of nationally ranked opponents.
The Wildcats (0-2, 6-7) aim to bounce back from a three-match losing streak which included two conference road setbacks.
