IOWA CITY, IA – After losing four of their last five matches by a score of 4-3, it was Wisconsin's opportunity to come out on top of a close match. After going back and forth all match, the Badgers (4-10, 1-4) ultimately pulled away from Iowa (9-8, 0-4) Friday night in Iowa City. 
 
It's been a tough season for the Badgers on the doubles courts, which prompted head Coach Tina Samara to make some changes to the lineup.  

In their first-ever match together, Kelsey Grambeau and Kendall Kirsch got the ball rolling for the Badgers with a 6-1 victory over Annette Dohanics and Kristen Thoms. Also in their first match of the season together, Lauren Chypyha and Lauren Burich got out to a quick lead over Zoe Douglas and Anastasia Reimchen, but ultimately fell by a score of 6-4.

After splitting the first two matches, it all came down to the only doubles team that remained unchanged as the Badgers' Ekaterina Stepanova and Sydney Rider took on Adorabol Huckleby and Aimee Tarum. After falling behind early, Stepanova and Rider battled back to force a tiebreaker in which they won, 7-2, to clinch the doubles point for the Badgers.  

Following doubles action, UW looked to close the door on the singles courts. The Badgers got off to a quick start on the singles courts as they picked up two quick victories by Chypyha and Burich who knocked off Anastasia Reimhen and Aimee Tarun, 6-3, 6-2, and 6-2, 6-2, respectively.  

However, after Iowa won on courts two, three and five, it all came down to court four where Kendall Kirsch took on Annette Dohanics. Ultimately, Kirsch pulled ahead to win the match 6-3, 7-5, clinching the 4-3 victory for the Badgers.  

"I'm just happy we walked away with a win," Samara said. "I'm very proud of Kendall (Kirsch) for pulling out the clinching match in her freshman year. That's not an easy thing to do. We still have a lot of work to do and things to clean up but this group deserved to finally be on the winning side of a 4-3 match."  

The Badgers will be back in action on Sunday, March 27, as they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The match is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. (CT).   

Results
Wisconsin 4 - Iowa 3
Doubles
1. Douglas/Reimchen (IOWA) def. Chypyha/Burich (UW), 6-4  
2. Stepanova/Rider (UW) def. Huckleby/Tarum (IOWA), 7-6 (2)   
3. Grambeau/Kirsch (UW) def. Dohanics/Thoms (IOWA), 6-1
 
Singles
1. #54 Lauren Chypyha (UW) def. Anastasia Reimhen (IOWA), 6-3, 6-2
2. Zoe Dougles (IOWA) def. Ekaterina Stepanova (UW), 6-3, 6-3
3. Kristen Thoms (IOWA) def. Maria Avgerinos (UW), 6-4, 6-0
4. Kendall Kirsch (UW) def. Annette Dohanics (IOWA), 6-3, 7-5
5. Adorabol Huckleby (IOWA) def. Kelsey Grambeau (UW), 6-3, 6-4
6. Lauren Burich (UW) def. Aimee Tarun (IOWA), 6-2, 6-2