Huskers Defeat Golden Gophers 4-3

Minneapolis, Minn.,--The Nebraska women's tennis team improved to 2-1 following a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Friday afternoon. After picking up the doubles point, NU earned three singles wins to top the Golden Gophers at the Baseline Tennis Center, snapping Minnesota's 13-match at-home win streak.

Doubles
The Huskers debuted two new doubles teams on Friday. Hayley Haakenstad and Chloe Kuckelman joined forces for the first time this season at No. 3 taking down River Hart and Juliet Zhang, 6-4. Claire Reifeis and Isabel Adrover Gallego teamed up for the third time this season to get the 7-5 win over Dalila Said and Lucia De Santa Ana, securing the doubles point for the Huskers. At the No. 1 spot, Samantha Alicea made her Husker debut teaming up with Kristina Novak. At the conclusion of doubles play, Alicea and Novak were tied with Minnesota's Ekin Ercetin and Rachel Hanford, 6-6. 

Singles
Minnesota struck first in singles play with at win at No. 3. Reifeis fell to Ekin Ercetin 6-4, 6-2 to tie the match score at 1-1. Kristina Novak got the first singles win for NU with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Dalila Said, improving to 4-2 on the year in singles play. Chloe Kuckelman dominated at the No. 5 spot with a 6-2, 6-3 win over River Hart to give the Huskers a 3-1 advantage in the match.

In her first singles match as a Husker, Alicea dropped a hard-fought match to Juliet Zhang 6-4, 6-3 at No. 6. Maja Makoric secured the win for Nebraska with a 7-6, 6-3 triumph at No. 4. With the win, Makoric remains undefeated in singles play with a 6-0 record on the year. In the final match of the day, Adrover Gallego fell to Rachel Hanford in a three-set battle, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 at No. 2. 

Up Next
Nebraska is set to travel to Madison, Wisconsin for a match against the Badgers this Sunday at 11 a.m.

Results

Singles
1. Kristina Novak (NEB) def. Dalila Said (MINN) 6-3, 6-1
2. Rachel Hanford (MINN) def. Isa Adrover Gallego (NEB) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
3. Ekin Ercetin (MINN) def. Claire Reifeis (NEB) 6-4, 6-1
4. Maja Makoric (NEB) def. Lucia De Santa Ana (MINN) 7-6, 6-3
5. Chloe Kuckelman (NEB) def. River Hart (MINN) 6-2, 6-3
6. Juliet Zhang (MINN) def. Samantha Alicea (NEB) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
1. Ekin Ercetin/Rachel Hanford (MINN) vs. Kristina Novak/Samantha Alicea (NEB) 6-6, unfinished
2. Isa Adrover Gallego/Claire Reifeis (NEB) def. Dalila Said/Lucia De Santa Ana (MINN) 7-5
3. Chloe Kuckelman/Hayley Haakenstad (NEB) def. River Hart/Juliet Zhang (MINN) 6-4

Notes
Nebraska 2-1
University of Minnesota 0-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,1,5,6,4,2)