DeKALB, Ill.  – Sunday's Mid-American Conference women's tennis match between the homestanding Northern Illinois University Huskies and Buffalo came down three-set matches at the No. 5 and 6 singles positions with the Bulls earning a split of those matches and the 4-3 win.
 
"This [Buffalo] was a team that finished fourth [in the MAC] last year," Burns said. "The top teams in the MAC can all beat each other on any given day so for us to go 4-3 with them was a positive. We battled back in a couple of matches and had chances to win. It was one of our better days of just competing overall as a team.  We brought good energy and fought extremely hard. The fight and the effort were there today."
 
NIU took an early 1-0 lead with a 6-0 win at No. 1 doubles by Erika Dimitriev and Nataly Ninova, and a 7-5 victory by Reagan Welch and Diana Lukyanova at the No. 2 doubles spot.
 
"Winning the doubles point will give you a chance to win against a good team like this," Burns said. "If you don't get the doubles point, you're in big trouble. For us to get that doubles point was huge. As soon as we got that we knew we had a chance to win this match."
 
The Bulls took the next three points with straight set wins at No. 2, 3 and 4 singles. Sophomore Erika Dimitriev defeated Pia Schwarz of Buffalo, 6-4, 6-4 to record the Huskies' second point and narrow the gap to 3-2. Meanwhile, Buffalo players won the first set in both the fifth and sixth singles matches before the Huskies battled back.  Angelica Ross won the second set of her match with Gabriella Akopyan at No. 5 singles, 6-4, to force a third set and keep the Huskies' hopes alive.
 
At No. 6 singles, freshman Isabella Righi fell behind Maribel Carvajal Torres 5-1 in the second set before storming back to win the next six games and the set, 7-5. With players from each team cheering their teammates on every point, Akopyan put together a comeback of her own to take the third set over Ross, 6-4 and clinch the match for Buffalo.  Righi closed out Carvajal Torres, winning 6-4 in the third set, to complete her comeback win.  
 
"Isa [Righi] got off to a terrible start and finally calmed down, relaxed, found her game and fought back," Burns said. "That was awesome to see because if you're playing that poorly it's easy to go away. That's why you always keep fighting regardless of the score."
 
NIU (11-10, 1-2 MAC) plays its next three matches on the road, beginning Friday, March 31 at Ball State. Buffalo improved to 16-4 overall, 2-1 in the MAC, with the win.
 
Buffalo 4, NIU Huskies 3
03/26/2023 at DeKalb, Illinois
(Chick Evans Field House)
 
Singles
1. Erika Dimitriev (NIU) def. Pia Schwarz (BUF) 6-4, 6-4
2. Azra Deniz Comlek (BUF) def. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Basak Akbas (BUF) def. Reagan Welch (NIU) 6-1, 6-0
4. Ambre Amat (BUF) def. Nataly Ninova (NIU) 6-2, 7-5
5. Gabriella Akopyan (BUF) def. Angelica Ross (NIU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
6. Isabella Righi (NIU) def. Mari Carvajal Torres (BUF) 1-6, 7-5, 6-4
 
Doubles
1. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Pia Schwarz/Ambre Amat (BUF) 6-0
2. Reagan Welch/Diana Lukyanova (NIU) def. Azra Deniz Comlek/Deanne Choo (BUF) 7-5
3. L. Schietekat Sedas/Mari Carvajal Torres (BUF) def. McKenna Chudy/Isabella Righi (NIU) 6-3
 
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