HAMILTON, Ohio – After going 18 years in between victories of Miami, the Northern Illinois University women's tennis team won its second consecutive match over the RedHawks at the Riverside Athletic Club on Sunday.
 
"I'm really proud of our team for fighting in this match," NIU head coach Eric Burns said. "Miami fought so hard with just four players and they competed so well. Hats off to them for the effort. They were tough today. At the end of the day, we just battled through everything they threw at us."
 
After winning by forfeit at No. 3 doubles, and dropping the No. 1 match, 6-3, NIU (12-11, 4-4) clinched the doubles point with a 7-5 by Iullia Dmitrieva and Diana Lukyanova at No. 2 doubles.
 
The Huskies won the matches at No. 5 and 6 singles as Miami were unable to field competitors in those matches giving NIU a 3-0 lead. After the RedHawks won at both No. 1 and 2 singles, Lukyanova, who saw her 17-match winning streak come to an end against Ball State on Friday, clinched the win for NIU.
 
The Huskie freshman dropped the first set to Melati Devi, 4-6, before going on to win the second and third sets, 6-4, 6-2.
 
"I'm really proud of Diana to be a freshman in a deciding match versus a senior," Burns said. "That's a tough situation and she handled it like a veteran player. This team has just come a long way in the way we fight and belief on the court. It has been a fun season. Let's see where we can go in these final matches."
 
The Huskies return to action Friday, April 16 when NIU plays host to Toledo at the Boylan Tennis Center in Rockford. The match begins at 1 p.m.
 
-NIU-