April 1, 2006

DeKalb, IL -- Both teams needed to rebound from Friday losses. Unfortunately for the Northern Illinois University women's tennis team, it was the visiting Eastern Michigan University crew which succeeded in a big way as the Eagles soared to a 7-0 Mid-American Conference shutout victory in Saturday's (April 1) contest at the NIU West Campus Courts.

Eastern Michigan got blanked by the same 7-0 tally on Friday when the Eagles visited the nation's No. 2-ranked University of Notre Dame team. However, Saturday's rebound enabled EMU to even its overall ledger at 7-7 while boosting its MAC record to 2-1. Northern Illinois, which lost a 5-2 contest indoors in Rockford to the University of Toledo, saw its overall standard slip to 4-12 with an 0-2 reading for Mid-Am play.

"Quite frankly, it was a most disappointing loss. I'm not taking anything away from Eastern, and I know we were facing an uphill battle, but I just don't believe we played anywhere near our ability," said Pontus Hiort. "Every time we step on the court, we have an opportunity to test ourselves and improve. I never mind if another team beats us if they're more talented, but I never want to see us outhustled."

With the Huskies still minus two players due to illness, Eastern Michigan gained an immediate 3-0 lead once the Eagles captured the doubles point. In addition to the forfeit at No. 3, EMU's No. 2 duo of Elizabeth Syrova and Aditi Krishnan chalked up an 8-3 win over the Huskie tandem of Chrissy Nagel (Millstadt / Belleville West) and Megan Brooks (Aurora / West). NIU's top combination of Jenny Edner (Stocksund, Sweden / Kramfor Tennis Gymnasiet) and Dora Delgadillo (San Luis Potosi, Mexico / Instituto Technologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey) battled EMU's Vanessa Frankowski and Yana Parfenvuk to a 9-7 tally.

Eastern Michigan then made quick work of completing the shutout with two-set triumphs in the Nos. 1 through 4 slots in order to wrap up the win.

Northern Illinois now hits the road for its next two MAC matches starting with a Friday (April 7) high noon (CST) visit to Ball State University in Muncie, IN, followed on Saturday (April 8) by a high noon (CST) match in Oxford, OH, against Miami (OH) University.

WOMEN'S TENNIS -- Eastern Michigan University at Northern Illinois University / at DeKalb, IL / NIU's West Campus Courts / Mid-American Conference Dual / Saturday / April 1, 2006

EASTERN MICHIGAN 7, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 0 (at DeKalb, IL / NIU's West Campus Courts) Doubles: No. 1 -- Vanessa Frankowski / Yana Parfenvuk (EMU) def. Jenny Edner / Dora Delgadillo (NIU), 9-7 No. 2 -- Elizabeth Syrova / ) def. Megan Brooks / Chrissy Nagel (NIU), 8-3 No. 3 -- Laura Fernandez / Flavia Micati (EMU) won by forfeit.

Singles No. 1 -- Elizabeth Syrova (EMU) def. Jenny Edner (NIU), 6-0, 6-3 No. 2 -- Aditi Krishnan (EMU) def. Dora Delgadillo (NIU), 6-0, 6-1 No. 3 -- Vanessa Frankowski (EMU) def. Megan Brooks (NIU), 6-0, 6-1 No. 4 -- Yana Parfenyuk (EMU) def. Chrissy Nagel (NIU) 6-0, 6-0 No. 5 -- Catherina Bestahorn (EMU) won by forfeit No. 6 -- Laura Fernandez (EMU) won by forfeit

Records to Date: NIU now 4-12 overall, 0-2 in the MAC / Eastern Michigan now 7-7 overall, 2-1 in the MAC Next Huskie Matches: Friday / April 7 -- Northern Illinois University at Ball State University, Muncie, IN, 12 p.m. Saturday / April 8 -- Northern Illinois University at Miami University, Oxford, OH, 12 p.m.

(For further information, please contact Steve Nemeth) -30-