ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Yellowjacket women's tennis team is in the midst of its best stretch of tennis this season. One could argue they are playing some of the best tennis program history.
 
It's true, the Yellowjackets came into Saturday's match at Northwestern off of a loss, but prior to falling in non-conference play to Saint Mary's last Sunday, the Yellowjackets won four in a row. Coming out of Saturday's match, the Yellowjackets are back in the win column, and in the process made some history.
 
The Yellowjackets took an early lead in doubles play and won four of six singles matches on the way to a 6-3 win over Northwestern at the Johnson Tennis Complex Saturday afternoon. The victory was the first-ever win for a Yellowjacket women's tennis team over Northwestern and improves their 2023-24 record to 11-8-1 overall and 1-0 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play.
 
In doubles, the Yellowjackets fell at No. 1, but won thrilling matches at No. 2 and No. 3.
 
At No. 2 doubles, Claudia Curtis (Lake Mills, Wis./Lake Mills) and Giulia Araujo De Barros (Curitiba, Brazil/Colegio Sabre) edged Northwestern's Elise Jarchow and Ana Marquardt 8-7. Daylyn Drew (Negaunee, Mich./Negaunee) and Kate Jonas (Annandale, Minn./Annandale) won by an identical 8-7 score at No. 3 doubles.
 
In singles action, the Yellowjackets needed three sets to win three of their matches. Jonas was the only Yellowjacket to win in straight sets in singles play, defeating Madeline Troolin 7-5, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.
 
Match Notes

• Maya Haupt (Nuertingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg/Hoelderlin Gymnasium Nuertingen) earned a big win at No. 1 singles, defeating Annie Orvis 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
• Haupt now owns an impressive 13-6 record in singles play.
• Araujo De Barros dropped her first set at No. 3 singles, 6-0 to Jarchow. Araujo De Barros rallied however, winning the second set 6-3 and the third set 7-6, winning the tiebreak 7-3.
• Jessi Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) also dropped her first set at No. 5 singles, losing 6-3. She bounced back to take the second set 6-2 and the third 6-3.
• Speaking of tiebreakers, Curtis and Araujo De Barros won their tiebreaker in doubles action 7-5, while Drew and Jonas won theirs 7-3.
• After Saturday, Araujo De Barros, Curtis, Jonas, Kukowski and Andreina Tejada (Quito, Ecuador/Isaac Newton) all have nine wins in singles play.
• Drew and Jonas remain unbeaten as a doubles pair, improving to 4-0 on the year with Saturday's win.

Next, the Yellowjackets will take on Bethany Lutheran Saturday, April 20. The first serve is set for noon at the BLC Tennis Courts in Mankato, Minn.
  Read Full Article