SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team stepped up its level of competition Sunday with a dual match at Notre Dame, and despite falling to the Fighting Irish, 5-2, NIU head coach Eric Burns found plenty of positives to take away from the match.
 
"This was a good day," Burns said. "I'm really proud of the effort against a very solid ACC team.  A showing like this gives us confidence that we can play against anyone. There were moments throughout the day when we had a chance to break through to get those four points."
 
Two Huskies did score for NIU as freshman Reagan Welch earned a 6-2, 7-6 win over Maeve Koscielski at No. 4 singles, while senior Christy Robinson posted a three-set victory at No. 6 singles. Robinson dropped the first set 6-1 before coming back to win the next two sets, 6-0, 6-1.
 
The Huskies had chances to take early leads at No. 1 singles, with NIU's Diana Lukyanova dropping a first set tiebreaker to Maria Olivia Castedo, and at No. 5 singles as Angelica Ross led ND's Katherine Bellia 4-3 before Bellia came back to take the set. 
 
"Reagan and Christy played really well to get those points," Burns said. "Even after Christy dropped the first set, I felt confident at No. 6 and Reagan was outstanding. Really, across the board, we put some pressure on them and played some very good sets. Now, we have to bring that same aggressiveness and the same freedom that we played with today against our opponents going forward."
 
NIU also played well in doubles, especially at No. 1 where Erika Dimitriev and Anastasia Rakita lost
 
NIU, now 3-2 on the dual match season, is next in action on Friday, February 11 with a pair of matches at Chick Evans Field House. The Huskies will take on Marquette at 1 p.m. and St. Francis at 6 p.m.   
 
NIU vs Notre Dame
Feb. 6, 2022 at Notre Dame, Indiana
(Eck Tennis Pavilion)
 
Notre Dame 5, NIU 2
 
Singles
1. Maria Olivia Castedo (ND-W) def. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) 7-6, 6-3
2. Yashna Yellayi (ND-W) def. Erika Dimitriev (NIU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Carrie Beckman (ND-W) def. Anastasia Rakita (NIU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Reagan Welch (NIU) def. Maeve Koscielski (ND-W) 6-2, 7-6
5. Katherine Bellia (ND-W) def. Angelica Ross (NIU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Christy Robinson (NIU) def. Sydney Sforzo (ND-W) 1-6, 6-0, 6-1
 
Doubles
1. Page Freeman/Meghan Coleman (ND-W) def. Erika Dimitriev/Anastasia Rakita (NIU) 7-5
2. Julia Andreach/Yashna Yellayi (ND-W) def. Diana Lukyanova/Reagan Welch (NIU) 6-1
3. Maria Olivia Castedo/Nibedita Ghosh (ND-W) def. Angelica Ross/Fernanda Naves (NIU) 6-1
 
-- NIU --