The Penn State women's tennis team (7-13, 4-6 Big Ten) dropped two dramatic matches in the Midwest this weekend. The Nittany Lions came up short in a heartbreaking loss to Big Ten rival Iowa (6-12, 4-5), 4-3, on Saturday. The women traveled to No. 31 Minnesota (16-5, 9-1) yesterday, where they lost 4-3, handing the Golden Gophers their first Big Ten Championship.

The women started off strong, clinching the crucial doubles point against Iowa with wins from the No. 2 doubles pair of sophomore Megan Marton and senior Judy Wang and the No. 3 pair of sophomore Sarah Spence and freshman Lindsay Downing. Marton and Wang defeated Cassie Haas and Deni Alexanrova 8-2, while Spence and Downing won 8-6 over Jennifer Hodgman and Chelsea Glynn.

The women continued their momentum in singles competition with Marton winning the No. 1 match 6-0, 6-1 over Haas. The women were up 3-0, but then the tide turned as junior Leigh Ann Merryman lost 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 singles to Steffi Hoch.

The matches remained close, as sophomore Maaria Hussain took her No. 3 singles match, 6-3, 6-2 over Gloria Okino, but Wang then lost at No. 4, 7-5, 6-2 to Glynn. The Big Ten match was decided between the No. 5 and No. 6 singles matches. Downing took her No. 5 match to three sets against Alexandrova, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, but came up short. Spence followed suit, trying to squeeze out the conference victory but fell to Hawkeye Hodgman in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

The women tried for their last win of the season against the Golden Gophers of the University of Minnesota yesterday at the Baseline Tennis Center.

The women reversed their start against Iowa, going 0-3 against the Gophers in doubles competition. Hussain and Merryman lost at No. 1 doubles to Angela Buergis and Nischela Reddy, 8-5. Marton and Wang lost 8-6 at No. 2 against Michaela Havelkova and Brandi Watts, and Spence and Downing fell 8-4 against Valerie Vladea and Cici Anderson at No.3.

Singles play yesterday showcased tight competition, with two matches that went to three sets.

Hussain won at No. 3 singles in three sets, defeating Havelkova, 6-4, 6-7, 11-9. Downing also won in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 10-6 against Watts at No. 4. Senior April Uy won at No. 6 for the Nittany Lions, 7-5, 6-4 against Kandis Batiste. Although the women kept fighting, going 3-3 in singles competition, it was the critical doubles point that sealed the win and championship for the Gophers.

The women will compete in the Big Ten Championships April 24-27.