Rutgers University
Minnesota
Tennis Falls to Minnesota on Senior Day
Apr 23 | Women's Tennis
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers tennis (8-13, 2-9 Big Ten) dropped a 6-1 decision to Minnesota (13-11, 5-6 Big Ten) Sunday afternoon at the RU Tennis Center. Prior to the match, the Scarlet Knights honored Farris Cunningham and Ksenija Tihomirova as part of senior day.
"The match was a lot closer than the 6-1 result," said head coach Hilary Ritchie. "Though the result was not what we wanted, it was great to honor both of our seniors because of the positive impact they had on this team."
Cunningham registered her program-leading sixth Big Ten Conference victory of the season with her 6-2, 6-2 decision over Cammy Frei. Cunningham closed out her career with six wins in her last seven matches, which included triumphs over the Golden Gophers, Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and Northwestern.
The match was closer than the final team result, as three Scarlet Knights played into the third set. After she dropped her first set, 6-3, Tihomirova bounced back with a convincing 6-0 set-two win against Tina Kreinis in her No. 2 singles bout. However, Kreinis pulled away with a 6-4 win in the final stanza.
Freshmen Jacqueline Cochrane and Katherine Muzik also went to the deciding third set, as Muzik dropped her third-set tiebreaker in No. 4 singles, 10-8. Cochrane added a 6-0 second-set victory in the No. 5 position before Camila Vargas Gomez closed out the match with a 6-3 decision in the third set.
Cochrane and Cunningham added their team-high 12th doubles victory with a 6-2 win over Frei and Caroline Ryba.
Minnesota 6, Rutgers 1
Singles competition
1. Caroline Ryba (MINN) def. Du, Mingxiu (RU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Tina Kreinis (MINN) def. Tihomirova, Ksenija (RU) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4
3. Maja Vujic (MINN) def. Lee, Chloe (RU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Annemarie Emme (MINN) def. Muzik, Katherine (RU) 5-7, 7-5, 10-8
5. Camila Vargas Gomez (MINN) def. Cochrane, Jacqueline (RU) 6-5, 0-6, 6-3
6. Cunningham, Farris (RU) def. Cammy Frei (MINN) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Caitlyn Merzbacher/Mehvish Safdar (MINN) def. Du, Mingxiu/Muzik, Katherine (RU) 6-4
2. Tina Kreinis/Annemarie Emme (MINN) def. Lee, Chloe/Tihomirova, Ksenija (RU) 6-1
3. Cochrane, Jacqueline/Cunningham, Farris (RU) def. Caroline Ryba/Cammy Frei (MINN) 6-2
Match Notes:
Minnesota 13-11 (5-6 Big Ten)
Rutgers 8-13 (2-9 Big Ten)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,3,6,2,4,5)
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Players Mentioned
