MADISON, Wis. – In typical Big Ten Conference fashion, Sunday's match between the Wisconsin women's tennis team against Minnesota brought intensity and great tennis, with Wisconsin ultimately holding off the gophers for a 5-2 victory.
 
Up 3-2 with just two matches left to play, Wisconsin (8-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) was counting on freshman Ava Markham or sophomore MaryAnn Rompf to secure the fourth point. Markham stepped up in a 6-6 tiebreaker and defeated Minnesota's (5-5, 0-1) Cammy Frei 10-8 to give UW the point and spark a court storm.
 
Not long after Rompf added the exclamation point to the conference-opening triumph, defeating River Hart in the third set and giving UW a 5-2 victory on the day.
 
UW was given its first point from sophomore Lexi Keberle, ranked No. 65, who breezed by Tiffany Huber, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 2 singles.
 
Senior Sara Castellano, ranked No. 39, stayed hot this season, keeping her undefeated singles record, by defeating Tina Kreinis 6-2, 6-4. Castellano improved to 10-0 in singles action during the dual season.
 
Up next: The Badgers will have a bit of a break before resuming Big Ten action at Maryland on Saturday, March 16.
 
Feb. 24, 2019
Nielsen Tennis Stadium
Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin 5, Minnesota 2
 
Singles results
[39] Sara Castellano (WIS) def. Tina Kreinis (MN) 6-2, 6-4
[65] Lexi Keberle (WIS) def. Tiffany Huber (MN) 6-2, 6-0
Anna Makarova (WIS) def. Bita Mancera (MN) 6-2, 6-2
Ava Markham (WIS) def. Cammy Frei (MN) 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8)
Caitlyn Merzbacher (MN) def. Melissa Pick (WIS) 6-4, 6-2
MaryAnn Rompf (WIS) def. River Hart (MN) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
 
Doubles results
Merzbacher and Frei (MN) def. Castellano and Keberle (WIS) 6-3
Pick and Makarova (WIS) vs. Kreinis and Huber (MN) unfinished
Mancera and Hart (MN) def. Markham and Zordani (WIS) 6-4