April 22, 2011
ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Northern Illinois women's tennis team fell to Western Michigan on Friday at the Boylan Tennis Center. Katie Friedlund and Sara McLaughlin claimed a win for NIU at number one doubles but the Broncos took the match, 7-0.
"Going inside is never a fun thing for us," said NIU head coach Ryun Ferrell. "Western Michigan plays similar to the way we do but they are deep and they are just a little better than us at every spot. They don't have many weaknesses and they are very good playing indoors."
Friedlund and McLaughlin, playing at number one for the first time this spring, earned an 8-5 victory over April Kerr and Nini Sujashvili. The Huskies duo, who has been paired together since Friedlund returned from injury on March 26, has won two of its last three matches.
"Number one doubles looked amazing," said Ferrell. "That is the first doubles match we have won against Western Michigan in five years and they looked great doing it.
Western Michigan won both of the doubles matches at flights two and three, 8-2, to claim the doubles point.
In singles action, the Broncos won all six matches in straight sets. Martina Schnapp played a strong first set at number two against Nini Sujashvili, falling 6-3, before Sujashvili swept the second set. At number four, McLaughlin nearly forced a third set, dropping a tight second set, 6-4, after falling in the first set, 6-1.
NIU will return to action on Saturday, April 23, when they host Bowling Green in the regular season finale at 1 p.m. The match is scheduled to be played at the West Tennis Courts on the NIU campus, but could be moved to the Boylan Tennis Center in Rockford, Ill., in the event of inclement weather.
Western Michigan 7, Northern Illinois 0
Doubles
1. Katie Friedlund/Sara McLaughlin (NIU) def. April Kerr/Nini Sujashvili (WMU), 8-5
2. Amanda Moccia/Maggie Remynse (WMU) def. Emily Rogers/Haley Dekkinga (NIU), 8-2
3. Jill Pastunink/Maria Nivia (WMU) def. Kelly Phillips/Ilse Pacheco (NIU), 8-2
Singles
1. Maggie Remynse (WMU) def. Kelly Phillips (NIU), 6-2, 6-1
2. Nini Sujashvili (WMU) def. Martina Schnapp (NIU), 6-3, 6-0
3. Maria Nivia (WMU) def. Emily Rogers (NIU), 6-2, 6-3
4. Jill Pastunink (WMU) def. Sara McLaughlin (NIU), 6-1, 6-4
5. Rachel Denny (WMU) def. Haley Dekkinga (NIU), 6-0, 6-2
6. Amanda Moccia (WMU) def. Ilsa Pacheco (NIU), 6-0, 6-0
