Feb. 12, 2011

Final Results

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Northern Illinois women’s tennis team (1-4) picked up its first win of the season today, knocking off Bradley 6-1 at the Boylan Tennis Center. Last season, the Huskies also picked up their first win of the season in their fifth match before rattling off six-straight victories.

“It was a good day,” said NIU head coach Ryun Ferrell. “The girls played really well, played hard and played with purpose. They looked great and it’s just what we’ve been looking for. They executed very well today.”

NIU led off the day by sweeping doubles play and capturing the first point. Kelly Phillips and Emily Rogers edged out Nicole Miller and Sarah Rodefeld with an 8-7 decision in the No. 1 flight. Freshmen Haley Dekkinga and Ilse Pacheco defeated Adele Henke and Meredith McDonagh 8-4 in the second, while Sara McLaughlin and Martina Schnapp blanked Ashley Roth and Brigitte Graf 8-0.

“It was kind of what we’ve been looking for this entire spring,” Ferrell said. “Against Bradley, we’ve always kind of had problems in doubles, but we swept them this time around.”

The Huskies lone loss of the day came in the No. 1 singles flight against Miller, someone NIU has never fared well against in the past. Miller defeated Rogers 7-6, 6-2.

“With Nicole Miller at No. 1, we’ve never beaten her since she’s been at Bradley,” Ferrell added. “We had our shot with Emily. She did really well in the first set, but that was probably the best we’ve ever looked against Nicole.”

The rest of the Huskies rolled to victories. After a tight 7-5 first set in the No. 2 flight, Phillips, who was recently moved up in the lineup, picked up the point over Rodefeld with a 6-0 victory in the second set. At No. 3, Schnapp defeated McDonagh in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, while McLaughlin rallied to a win her match in the third set after dropping the first set, 6-1.

Dekkinga picked up her third win of the young season, blanking Graf in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 in the fifth flight, while Pacheco topped Roth 6-1, 6-1 in the sixth.

“We’re getting on the right path,” Ferrell said. “We just need to keep on moving.”

The Huskies will get the opportunity to continue moving forward as they host Southern Illinois tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT, at the Boylan Tennis Center.

--NIU--