March 21, 2014

MADISON, Wis. --The Badgers claimed their first conference win of the season Friday after defeating last year’s Big Ten champion Nebraska at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. Wisconsin claimed a 4-3 victory to move to 6-4 on the season and 1-1 in Big Ten play.

“We finally got a 4-3 win today,” said head coach Tina Samara. “Overall, I’m really pleased. We won a lot of our first sets and there was good effort from everybody today.

“We have been hoping in time to find success and turn some of these close losses into wins. Today we did that.”

The Badgers continued to tweak their doubles line up, switching up new teams at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, and the changes were successful as UW claimed the doubles point and started with a 1-0 advantage.

For the first time together in No. 1 doubles, Lauren Chypyha and Anastasia Tripolskaya were able to find success by defeating Maggy Lehmicke and Mary Hanna, 8-6.

At No. 3 doubles, Nova Patel and Lauren Burich were able to capture their third win together after cruising past Lisa Andersson and Hannah Sulz, 8-1.

Becca Bailey and Sydney Rider fell short, 8-5, in No. 2 doubles to Maike Zeppernick and Izabella Zgierska.

In No.1 singles, Chypyha kept her win streak alive, claiming her 10th-straight singles win and her second conference win this spring after defeating Lehmicke, 6-1, 6-2.

“Chyps got down to business today and is now 10-0,” said Samara. “She was playing some really good tennis out there." 

At No. 3 singles, Tripolskaya defeated Lisa Andersson, 6-1, 7-5, after coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the second set. 

But the decisive match came down to No. 2 singles where Burich and Zgierska split the first two sets, 6-4 and 0-6 before a tense third set. Burich regained her edge and pulled out a gutsy 6-4 third-set win to post her first conference win and clinch the match. 

“Burich has been sick for two weeks and for her to clinch it at the end is huge,” said Samara. “It says a lot about her character for sticking it out and finishing it.” 

Bailey fell short in No. 6 singles to Hannah Sulz, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In No. 5 singles, Patel retired after going, 6-7 (7-9), 4-3, against Maike Zeppernick. 

“The fact that Becca and Nova stayed out there playing was a huge help to Burich,” said Samara. “If they had lost their matches fast, it would have put more pressure on Burich.”

Rider fell short, 7-5, 6-2, in No. 4 singles to Mary Hanna.

Up next, Wisconsin heads to Iowa City, Iowa for its third Big Ten match against Iowa at 11 a.m. (C.T.) on Sunday. 

FINAL RESULTS
SINGLES

Final Stats

1. Lauren Chypyha (WIS) def. Maggy Lehmicke (NU) – 6-1, 6-2
2. Lauren Burich (WIS) def. Izabella Zgierska (NU) – 6-4, 0-6, 6-4
3. Anastasia Tripolskaya (WIS) def. Lisa Andersson (NU) – 6-1, 7-5
4. Mary Hanna (NU) def. Sydney Rider (WIS) – 7-5, 6-2
5. Maike Zeppernick (NU) def, Nova Patel (WIS) - 6-7 (7-9), 4-3, rtd.
6. Hannah Sulz (NU) def. Becca Bailry (WIS) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: (1, 4, 3, 2, 5, 6)

DOUBLES
1. Lauren Chypyha / Anastasia Tripolskaya (WIS) def. Maggy Lehmicke/Mary Hanna (NU) – 8-6
2. Maike Zeppernick/Izabella Zgierska (NU) def. Becca Bailey / Sydney Rider (WIS) – 8-5
3. Nova Patel / Lauren Burich (WIS) def. Lisa Andersson/Hannah Sulz (NU) – 8-1
Order of Finish: (3, 2, 1)