March 5, 2011

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Ryun Ferrell’s bunch went one better today than last year’s dual meet with Western Illinois, defeating the Leathernecks in convincing fashion, 7-0, at the Boylan Tennis Center. The Huskies easily won all three doubles matches, not allowing a WIU pair to come within five points, before sweeping singles play, closing out each match in straight sets.

“We just got to business today and did a nice job,” Ferrell said. “I was very proud of the team. Things are beginning to come together.”

With two weeks off, the Huskies got off to a quick start today claiming the doubles point early behind 8-0 and 8-1 wins from the pairs of Sara McLaughlin and Martina Schnapp, and Haley Dekkinga and Ilse Pacheco. At No. 1, Kelly Phillips and Emily Rogers finished off the sweep winning an 8-3 decision over Marcela Brando and Jill Furlong.

Northern Illinois carried its momentum into singles play with dominant wins at flights three through six. Pacheco shutout Kara Chicoine, winning 6-0, 6-0 in flight six. That was followed up by a pair of 6-0, 6-1 victories by Rogers over Amy Unzicker at No. 3 and McLaughlin over Melissa Kaufmann at No 5. In flight four, Dekkinga picked up her team-leading fifth win of the season, with a 6-1, 6-1 decision over Claire Griffin.

Already with the team win in hand, Phillips and Schnapp capped off the sweep with wins at flights one and two. Philips defeated Brando for the second time on the day, taking the first set 6-1, before holding off her counterpart in the second set, winning 6-4. At No. 2, Schnapp defeated Furlong, 6-3, 6-2.

The Huskes, 2-6, have a quick turnaround as they host Northern Iowa tomorrow at noon at the Boylan Tennis Center. UNI is coming off a loss today, falling 4-3 at Illinois-Chicago.

 

Doubles

1. Phillips/ Rogers (NIU) def. Brando/ Furlong (WIU), 8-3
2. Dekkinga/ Pacheco (NIU) def. Unzicker/ Griffin (WIU), 8-1
3. McLaughlin/ Schnapp (NIU) def. Kaufman/ Zimmerman (WIU), 8-0

Singles

1. Phillips (NIU) def. Brando (WIU), 6-1, 6-4
2. Schnapp (NIU) def. Furlong (WIU), 6-3, 6-2
3. Rogers (NIU) def. Unzicker (WIU), 6-0, 6-1
4. Dekkinga (NIU) def. Griffin (WIU), 6-1, 6-1
5. McLaughlin (NIU) def. Kaufman (WIU), 6-0, 6-1
6. Pacheco (NIU) def. Chicoine (WIU), 6-0, 6-0

--NIU--