DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team split a pair of non-conference matches at Chick Evans Field House Friday, dropping a 4-3 decision to South Dakota before scoring a 7-0 win over Wisconsin-Whitewater.
 
The split moves NIU's dual match record to 9-5 on the season.
 
"It was a tough loss to South Dakota, that was a really tough match," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "The girls fought hard, and the quality of tennis was pretty good. There for a while, it looked like we had a chance to pull it out, and they turned a match or two around late and got it done. Nastia [Anastasia Rakita] had a really good win at No. 3 [singles] to get us going, but, especially with teams you're evenly matched against, if you don't get the doubles point, it takes a lot to come back and win four singles [matches]."
 
After losing the doubles point to South Dakota, NIU tied the match at 2-2 following the first three singles matches with Rakita and No. 1 Diana Lukyanova getting wins. The Huskies and Coyotes then split at No. 5 and 6 singles with NIU's Christy Robinson getting the win at No. 6. At No. 4 singles, USD's Bea Havlickova came back after losing the first set 6-0 to NIU's Reagan Welch to win the next two and give South Dakota the win.
 
Lukyanova, Rakita and Robinson all went 2-0 in singles for the Huskies on the day. Playing at No. 1 singles, Lukyanova defeated Habiba Aly of South Dakota 6-4, 6-3 in the afternoon match before dispatching Autumn Bruno of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 6-3, 6-2 in the finale.
 
Rakita earned a three-set win over USD's Estella Jaeger – 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 – at No. 3 singles and then scored a 6-1, 6-3 win playing the No. 2 singles spot in the nightcap.  Robinson defeated Natka Kmoskova of South Dakota 6-4, 6-4 and the Warhawks' Bethany Marshall, 6-2, 6-3. After dropping the doubles point versus South Dakota, the Huskies swept all three doubles matches versus Wisconsin-Whitewater.  
 
"Whitewater is a good team – they're nationally ranked in DIII, they play in the NCAA Tournament every year," Burns said.  They definitely pushed us on some courts which was good.  They gave us a good match and that's what we're looking for – to play a solid match after a tough 4-3 loss. Overall, that was a good win for us."
 
NIU returns to action Sunday, March 6 when they take on Chicago State in Chicago at 10 a.m., then travel to play Valparaiso in Valparaiso at 5 p.m.   
 
South Dakota 4, NIU 3
March 4, 2022 at DeKalb, Illinois
(Chick Evans Field House)
 
Singles
1. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) def. Habiba Aly (USD) 6-4, 6-3
2. Jana Lazarevic (USD) def. Erika Dimitriev (NIU) 7-6, 6-4
3. Anastasia Rakita (NIU) def. Estella Jaeger (USD) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
4. Bea Havlickova (USD) def. Reagan Welch (NIU) 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
5. Anna Marija Bukina (USD) def. Angelica Ross (NIU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Christy Robinson (NIU) def. Natka Kmoskova (USD) 6-4, 6-4
 
Doubles
1. Erika Dimitriev/Anastasia Rakita (NIU) vs. Habiba Aly/Jana Lazarevic (USD) 4-5, unfinished
2. Anna Marija Bukina/Estella Jaeger (USD) def. Diana Lukyanova/Reagan Welch (NIU) 6-4
3. Bea Havlickova/Natka Kmoskova (USD) def. Fernanda Naves/Christy Robinson (NIU) 6-3
 

NIU 7, Wisconsin-Whitewater 0
March 4, 2022 at DeKalb, Illinois
(Chick Evans Field House)
 
Singles
1. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) def. Autumn Bruno (UW-W) 6-3, 6-2
2. Anastasia Rakita (NIU) def. Cassandra Lee (UW-W) 6-1, 6-3
3. Reagan Welch (NIU) def. Gianna Nikoleit (UW-W) 6-3, 6-0
4. Angelica Ross (NIU) def. Kellie Ha (UW-W) 6-0, 6-1
5. Christy Robinson (NIU) def. Bethany Marshall (UW-W) 6-2, 6-3
6. Fernanda Naves (NIU) def. Molly Rueth (UW-W) 6-0, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Erika Dimitriev/Anastasia Rakita (NIU) def. Autumn Bruno/Cassandra Lee (UW-W) 6-1
2. Diana Lukyanova/Reagan Welch (NIU) def. Kellie Ha/Molly Rueth (UW-W) 6-1
3. Fernanda Naves/Christy Robinson (NIU) def. Courtney Day/Bethany Marshall (UW-W) 6-2
 
-- NIU --