March 27, 2009
Final Results in PDF Format 
AKRON, Ohio The Northern Illinois women's tennis team captured three wins in singles play, but dropped the decisive doubles point, and fell in a hard-fought 4-3 decision at Akron Friday afternoon. The match was tied at 3-3, before Akron's Kerry Langworthy edged NIU's Brooke Forsberg in the deciding third set, clinching the fourth point for the Zips.
The Huskies dropped all three doubles match in regulation pro-set decisions. Lilian Asuaje and Emily Rogers, along with Kathryn Friedlund and Sara McLaughlin, both fell in 8-6 decisions at the respective No. 1 and No. 2 positions. Forsberg and Stephanie Okuma then fell in an 8-3 decision at No. 3 doubles.
"It was a tough pill to swallow, because we lost a match today that came down to the final court," said NIU head coach Ryun Ferrell. "We played our youngest lineup of the season with the absence of Nao (Umemura) not making the trip, and that certainly affected our rhythm in doubles.
"In singles, we really battled, and in the matches we won, we really did so convincingly. Brooke (Forsberg) fought hard, and I know she wanted to win this one for her teammates. The thing that I'm really proud of is how hard we play every week, and that showed today. This team keeps battling back even after a tough loss, and I expect the same out of them tomorrow at Buffalo."
Asuaje and Friedlund both fell in straight-set decisions at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions, but the Huskies rallied, claiming straight-set wins at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6. Playing up one position from her regular No. 5 singles slot, Rogers posted an impressive 6-1, 6-0 at No. 4, her ninth singles triumph of the season.
Forsberg dropped the first-set at No. 5 singles, 6-2, before rallying to outlast Langworthy in a tie-breaker (7-4) in the second stanza. Langworthy outlasted Forsberg in the final set, 7-5, to secure the win.
NIU will play its fourth consecutive MAC road match Saturday, when the Huskies travel to Buffalo, N.Y., to take on the host Bulls beginning at noon.
