Northwestern captured its fifth straight Big Ten Championship with a 4-2 win against the Golden Gopher Women's Tennis Team in Champaign, Ill. Minnesota will next compete in the NCAA Championship with pairings to be announced on Wednesday,

The Wildcats claimed the doubles point as No. 10 Cristelle Grier and Jessica Rush handed Angela Buergis and Nischela Reddy their first Big Ten defeat by the score of 9-8 (6). Northwestern's Ruth Barnes and Andrea Yung defeated Valerie Vladea and Amy Thomas at No. 2 by the score of 8-5.

No. 11 Grier defeated Buergis at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-1, and Stacy Kokx ousted Brandi Watts at No. 6 by the score of 6-1, 6-0. Yung clinched the match for the Wildcats with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Michaela Havelkova.

Freshman Reddy improved to 12-1 against Big Ten opponents with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Barnes at No. 5 singles. Vladea claimed the Golden Gophers' other win with a 7-6, 7-6 upset of No. 72 Rush.

The Golden Gophers were making their first-ever appearance in the finals of the Big Ten Championship, while Northwestern claimed its fifth title in a row and seventh overall.

#2 Northwestern 4, #1 Minnesota 2

Singles
No. 1 - Cristelle Grier (NW) def. Angela Buergis (MN), 6-1, 6-1
No. 2 - Valerie Vladea (MN) def. Jamie Rush (NW), 7-6, 7-6
No. 3 - Amy Thomas (MN) vs. Jamie Peisel (NW), 6-4, 4-6, 2-1, abandoned
No. 4 - Andrea Yung (NW) def. Michaela Havelkova (MN), 7-5, 6-2
No. 5 - Nischela Reddy (MN) def. Ruth Barnes (NW), 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 - Stacy Kokz (NW) def. Brandi Watts (MN), 6-1, 6-0

Doubles
No. 1 - Grier/Rush (NW) def. Buergis/Reddy (MN), 9-8 (6)
No. 2 - Barnes/Yung (NW) def. Vladea/Thomas (MN), 8-5
No. 3 - Peisel/Kokx (NW) vs. Havelkova/Watts, 8-8, abandoned