Minnesota posted its second shutout of the season in blanking Penn State 7-0 on Sunday in State College, Penn.
The 56th-ranked Gophers improved to 10-8 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten with the victory, while Penn State dropped to 4-12 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
Minnesota won two of three doubles matches to stake a 1-0 lead against the Nittany Lions. Penn State won the first doubles match when Lauren McCarthy and Denisa Zobeideh beat Tijana Koprivica and Jackie Sperling 8-2 at No. 2. However, Minnesota won the next two decisions as Alessandra Ferrazzi and Alexa Palen posted an 8-4 win at No. 1 and Doron Muravnik and Mariana Spilca clinched the point with an 8-2 win at No. 3.
The Gophers won their first three singles matches by identical 6-1, 6-3 scores to clinch the team victory. Ferrazzi defeated Amy Simidian at No. 1, Palen beat Maria Prishlyak at No. 3 and Magdalena Wiecha downed Sarah Lotto at No. 6.
Muravnik added a 7-5, 6-1 win over Sarah Henderson at No. 5 and Koprivica defeated McCarthy at No. 2 by a 6-1, 7-5 score. Sperling finished the Gophers' sweep by edging Zobeideh in a match tiebreaker, winning 6-4, 6-7, (10-8).
Minnesota returns home to face Indiana on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Baseline Tennis Center.
#56 Minnesota 7, Penn State 0
Singles
1. Alessandra Ferrazzi (MINN) def. Amy Simidian (PSU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Tijana Koprivica (MINN) def. Lauren McCarthy (PSU), 6-1, 7-5
3. Alexa Palen (MINN) def. Maria Prishlyak (PSU) 6-1, 6-3
4. Jackie Sperling (MINN) def. Denisa Zobeideh (PSU) 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 1-0 (10-8)
5. Doron Muravnik (MINN) def. Sarah Henderson (PSU) 7-5, 6-1
6. Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) def. Sarah Lotto (PSU) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. Alessandra Ferrazzi/Alexa Palen (MINN) def. Amy Simidian/Sarah Lotto (PSU) 8-4
2. Lauren McCarthy/Denisa Zobeideh (PSU) def. Tijana Koprivica/Jackie Sperling (MINN) 8-2
3. Doron Muravnik/Mariana Spilca (MINN) def. Michaela Stracar/Maria Prishlyak (PSU) 8-2
Match Notes:
Minnesota 10-8, 3-2 Big Ten; National ranking #56
Penn State 4-12, 0-4 Big Ten
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,6,3,5,2,4)
