Full results listed below.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Northern Illinois University women’s tennis team opened its 2016 spring season with a defeat at Minnesota on Sunday, falling to the No. 60 nationally ranked Big Ten program 7-0 on the road in Minneapolis.

Of the nine total contests between the two teams, six in singles and three in doubles that resulted in the other team point, the Huskies (0-1) came closest to defeating the Golden Gophers (1-0) in the No. 1 singles match as Adey Osabuohien (Hazel Crest, Ill./Stony Brook) won the first set against Minnesota top player Caroline Ryba before eventually falling in the tiebreaker after the second set.

Despite the team defeat, NIU women’s tennis head coach Tanya Gombera noted the fighting spirit showed by the Huskies against one of the top teams in the Big Ten and in the entire nation.

“I was pleased with the effort we showed in our performances, especially in singles,” Gombera said. “I thought the team came out and competed well against a top team like Minnesota. We are already looking forward to transferring that type of effort into tomorrow’s match against North Dakota."

Looking for their first win of the season, the Huskies will remain in Minneapolis to face North Dakota on Monday at 10 a.m. CT.

Singles
1: Caroline Ryba (MINN) over Adey Osabuohien (NIU): 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (0)
2: Julia Courter (MINN) over Cristina Alvarez (NIU): 6-3, 6-3
3: Paula Rincon-Otero (MINN) over Michelle Erasmus (NIU): 6-2, 6-4
4: Annemarie Emme (MINN) over Abigail Dekkinga (NIU): 6-2, 7-6 (4)
5: Jessika Mozia over Evelyn Youel (NIU): 6-2, 6-1
6: Mehvish Safdar (Minn) over Meghan Montgomerie (NIU): 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1: Rincon-Otero/Emme (MINN) over Osabuohien/Alvarez (NIU): 6-1
2: Mozia/Merzbacher (MINN) over Dekkinga/Youel (NIU): 6-1
3: Ryba/Courter (MINN) over Erasmus/Montgomerie (NIU): 6-2

--NIU--