Muncie, IN -- With the Northern Illinois University women's tennis team still short-handed due to illness, the Huskies became a shutout victim in Friday's (April 7) weather-plagued Mid-American Conference visit to Ball State University.

The Cardinals may have needed just one doubles win to go with a forfeit in the No. 3 slot, but BSU took both contests to go with a pair of singles forfeits for an almost decisive 3-0 lead. Despite some gallant efforts by two of the Huskies, Ball State completed the 7-0 whitewash to improve to 8-9 on the season and even its MAC ledger at 2-2 with a second win in its last three league matches. For Northern Illinois, an eighth straight loss dropped the overall standard to 4-14 with an 0-3 Mid-Am mark.

"We had our chances in the two doubles contests but once again weren't able to close out the crucial points to claim the games needed down the stretch," NIU coach Pontus Hiort said. "In singles, Jenny and Megan played pretty well, they just weren't able to maintain that level to the very end."

Jenny Edner (Stocksund, Sweden / Kramfors Tennis Gymnasiet) reversed a 6-2 first-set loss with a 6-2 second-set victory before losing the No. 1 singles match to Ball State's Jessica Thompson via a 10-7 super tiebreaker. At No. 3 singles, NIU's Megan Brooks (Aurora / West) claimed the opening set thanks to a 7-6 tiebreaker before BSU's Haly Calderwood took the second set 6-3 followed by a 10-6 super tiebreaker win. Both of those matches were completed indoors at the Muncie YMCA Tennis Center after rain and thunderstorms forced a change of location from BSU's Cardinal Creek Tennis Center outdoor courts.

Edner and Dora Delgadillo (San Luis Potosi, Mexico / Instituto Technologico de Estudios Superiores de Monerrey) came up short in an 8-5 match at No. 1 doubles while Brooks and Chrissy Nagel (Millstadt / Belleville West) lost by the same tally in the No. 2 doubles contest. Both Delgadillo and Nagel lost two-set contests at the No. 2 and 4 singles slots. NIU's Lilian Asuaje (Monterrey, Mexcio / American School Foundation of Monterrey) and Nao Umemura (Kasugai-shi aichi, Japan / Kardina Internatioinal), who usually fill the Nos. 3 and 4 singles positions, remain sidelined by illness.

Northern Illinois continues its weekend MAC road trip with a Saturday (April 8) visit to Miami (OH) University. Weather-permitting, the contest is scheduled for 12 p.m. (CST) at the Hepburn Varsity Courts outdoors, or else 1 p.m. (CST) at the Riverside Racquet Club if the match is forced indoors.

WOMEN'S TENNIS -- Northern Illinois University at Ball State University / at Muncie, IN / BSU's Cardinal Creek Outdoor Courts & Muncie YMCA Indoor Courts / Mid-American Conference Dual / Friday / April 7, 2006

BALL STATE 7, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 0 (at Muncie, IN / BSU's Cardinal Creek Outdoor Tennis Courts & Muncie YMCA Indoor Tennis Courts) Doubles: No. 1 -- Jessica Thompson / Haly Calderwood (BSU) def. Jenny Edner / Dora Delgadillo (NIU), 8-5 No. 2 -- Katie Owens / Stephanie Farrar (BSU) def. Megan Brooks / Chrissy Nagel (NIU), 8-5 No. 3 -- Jennifer Pollack / Emma Retter (BSU) won by forfeit.

Singles No. 1 -- Jessica Thompson (BSU) def. Jenny Edner (NIU), 6-2, 2-6 (10-7) No. 2 -- Jennifer Pollack (BSU) def. Dora Delgadillo (NIU), 6-1, 6-0 No. 3 -- Haly Calderwood (BSU) def. Megan Brooks (NIU), 6-7 (6), 6-3 (10-6) No. 4 -- Katie Owens (BSU) def. Chrissy Nagel (NIU) 6-3, 6-0 No. 5 -- Emma Retter (BSU) won by forfeit No. 6 -- Rachel Lemar (BSU) won by forfeit

Records to Date: NIU now 4-14 overall, 0-3 in the MAC / Ball State now 8-9 overall, 2-2 in the MAC Next Huskie Match: Saturday / April 8 -- Northern Illinois University at Miami University, Oxford, OH, 12 p.m.

(For more information, please contact Steve Nemeth) --NIU--