EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team wrapped up play at the ITA Midwest Championships Friday after a strong showing in doubles as two Huskie pairings advanced to the Round of 32 in the elite tournament involving players from 23 teams from across the Midwest on Friday.
 
"We are really proud of the effort this week," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "The ITA regional includes the best of the best in the Midwest region, and our region is one of the toughest in the nation. There's so much depth in this region that it's like taking our team to a lower-level pro tournament. The level of tennis is very high, and wins are at a premium. We competed really well and picked up some great wins that we can build from."
 
Four Huskies opened play Thursday in the Singles Qualifying Draw with Nataly Ninova's 7-5, 6-3 win over Michigan State's Ria Bhakta highlighting NIU's day.  Ninova dropped a 6-3, 6-0 decision to No. 2 seed Ariel Johnson of Ohio State in the second round.
 
Huskie junior Reagan Welch lost a three-set match to Notre Dame's Carrie Beckman after winning the first set in a tiebreaker, while sophomore Isabella Righi battled Teah Chavez of Ohio State before falling 7-5, 6-3. Welch and Righi rebounded to earn singles wins in the consolation round on Thursday. Righi earned a 6-3, 6-2 win over Tiana Windbuchler of Marquette, while Welch defeated DePaul's Emily Casati, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).
 
On Friday, NIU's Erika Dimitriev closed out singles action in the singles main draw with a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Lisa Vehvilainen of Michigan State.
 
Two of NIU's three doubles teams earned first round wins to advance to the Round of 32. After claiming an 8-5 win over Audrey Smitek and Ariane Souligny of Western Michigan, Huskies Welch and Jenna Horne took the Michigan State duo of Issey Purser and Ria Bhakta to a tie breaker before losing 8-7 (7-5). Diana Lukyanova and Isabella Righi defeated Valparaiso's Elizabeth Sobieski and Olivia Czerwonka, 8-6, then dropped an 8-3 decision to Britany Lau and Maria Shusharin of Northwestern.
 
"­Our doubles played well with us advancing two teams to the round of 32 and Jenna and Reagan­­­ came very close to advancing to the round of 16," Burns said. "Our doubles have improved, although it can be even better and we have picked up a lot of big wins, many against 'power 5' competition this fall."
 
Overall, the Huskies posted a 2-3 mark in doubles and a 3-5 record in singles in the tournament. Burns has been pleased with the development he's seen from the Huskies so far this fall.
 
"This team is competing this fall and has really looked like a different team from a year ago," Burns said. "We have improved our fitness this fall. It's my hope that this is starting to give our team some major confidence to attack the spring season. Now we have a couple of weeks to get ready for our final tournament of the fall at home. We need to finish strong and put an exclamation mark on the fall season." 
 
NIU wraps up its fall tournament action by hosting the NIU Huskie Fall Invitational in the Nelson Tennis Center in Chick Evans Field House October 27-29.
 
SINGLES – QUALIFYING
Round of 64
Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Ria Bhakta (MSU) 7-5, 6-3
Carrie Beckman (ND) def. Reagan Welch (NIU) 6-7 (8-6), 6-4, 6-1
Julia Kuszynski (TOL) def. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) 7-5, 6-2
Teah Chavez (OSU) def. Isabella Righi (NIU) 7-5, 6-3
 
Round of 32
Ariel Johnson (UW) def. Nataly Ninova (NIU) 6-3, 6-0
 
Consolation Singles
Isabella Righi (NIU) def. Tiana Windbuchler (MARQ) 6-3, 6-2
Reagan Welch (NIU) def. Emily Casati (DEP) 6-2, 7-6 (3)
Audrey Moultana (TOL) def. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) 6-3, 6-2
 
SINGLES – MAIN DRAW
Round of 64
Lisa Vehvilainen (MSU) def. Erika Dimitriev (NIU) 6-3, 6-3
 
DOUBLES
Round of 64
Diana Lukyanova/Isabella Righi (NIU) def. Elizabeth Sobieski/Olivia Czerwonka (Valpo) 8-6
Jenna Horne/Reagan Welch (NIU) def. Audrey Smitek/Ariane Souligny (WMU) 8-5
Shalini Tallamraju/Audrey Moutama (TOL) def. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU) 8-3
 
Round of 32
Britany Lau/Maria Shusharina (Northwestern) def. Diana Lukyanova/Isabella Righi (NIU) 8-3
Issey Purser/Ria Bhakta (MSU) def. Jenna Horne/Reagan Welch (NIU) 8-7 (7-5)
 
 
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