ORLANDO, Fla. – The Northern Illinois University Women's Tennis team suffered a 6-1 loss to Southern Miss in the first match of its spring break trip to Florida Tuesday.
 
For the second straight match, Maria Potsi (Athens Greece/1st Gel Cholargou) scored NIU's lone victory in singles play. The Huskie freshman posted a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Tanit Lopez Lopez. Lasa Slisko (Essendon, Australia/St. Columba's College) put up a fight at No. 6 singles. The Huskie freshman won the first set, 7-5, but lost the second 6-2 and the third set tiebreaker, 1-0.
 
The Huskies (4-8) dropped the doubles point as Southern Miss won both No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, 6-4.
 
"We played a tough team in Southern Miss," said NIU head coach Tanya Mahefu. "I think we competed well in doubles. We are looking forward to our match against Bethune-Cookman tomorrow."
 
The NIU women's tennis team returns to the court Wednesday, March 14 when the Huskies travel to Daytona Beach, Fla. to face Bethune-Cookman. The match begins at 11 a.m. CT.
 
Southern Miss 6, Northern Illinois 1
 
Doubles Competition
1. Arina Amaning/Tjasa Jerse (USM) def. Maria Potsi/Evelyn Yuel (NIU), 5-5 unfinished
2. Lara Isis De Oliveir/Elena Roca (USM) def. Abigail Dekkinga/Lara Slisko (NIU); 6-4
3. Anastasia Cobanovic/Tanit Lopez Lopez (USM) def. Thisuri Molligoda/Brodie Walker (NIU); 6-4
 
Singles Competition
1. Arina Amaning (USM) def. Thisuri Molligoda (NIU); 6-0, 6-1
2. Rikeetha Pereira (USM) def. Abigail Dekkinga (NIU); 6-1, 6-2
3. Maria Potsi (NIU) def. Tanit Lopez Lopez (USM); 6-3; 6-1
4. Tjasa Jerse (USM) def. Evelyn Yuel (NIU); 6-2, 6-0
5. Elena Roca (USM) def. Brodie Walker (NIU); 6-2, 6-2
6. Claudia Castella (USM) def. Lara Slisko (NIU); 5-7, 6-2, 1-0
 
-NIU-