DeKALB, Ill.  – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team opened the penultimate weekend of the regular season with a 5-2 loss to Eastern Michigan Friday at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House.
 
One week after winning the last three matches in three sets to earn a 4-3 victory at Eastern Michigan, NIU could not complete the come back at home. With the loss, the Huskies fell to 12-13 on the season, 2-5 in the Mid-American Conference. Eastern Michigan is now 6-6 overall, 3-4 in the MAC.
 
The Huskie wins came at No. 1 and No. 2 singles as Erika Dimitriev dispatched Andrea Quiroz of EMU, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles to put the Huskies' first point on the board.  After NIU fell behind 3-1 when the Eagles won at No. 3 and 4 singles, Diana Lukyanova earned a 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 win over Prema Vichare at No. 2 singles to pull NIU within one point of the Eagles, 3-2.
 
Eastern Michigan closed out the win by taking the matches at No. 5 and 6 singles. The Eagles opened the match by winning the doubles point despite a 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles by the Huskie duo of Dimitriev and Nataly Ninova.
 
"We figured it would be a tight match and it was," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "Erika and Diana had really good days for us, and we played well at No. 1 doubles. We just need to get everyone playing well at once, which you really need against MAC teams. Doubles was a key and we're playing better doubles than we were a year ago, but we have to execute better on the big points."
 
On Sunday the Huskies play host to Ball State, which come into DeKalb with a 17-3 record on the season.  If there is rain, as projected, the match will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House.   
 
Eastern Michigan 5, NIU Huskies 2
04/14/2023 at DeKalb, Illinois
(Chick Evans Field House)
 
Singles
1. Erika Dimitriev (NIU) def. Andrea Quiroz (EMU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) def. Prema Vichare (EMU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
3. Daniella Shved (EMU) def. Nataly Ninova (NIU) 6-3, 7-5
4. Wendy Zhang (EMU) def. Reagan Welch (NIU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Sabina Brichackova (EMU) def. Isabella Righi (NIU) 7-5, 6-2
6. Linda Eloundou (EMU) def. Angelica Ross (NIU) 6-1, 6-3
 
Doubles
1. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Daniella Shved/Wendy Zhang (EMU) 6-1
2. Sabina Brichackova/Prema Vichare (EMU) def. Diana Lukyanova/Reagan Welch (NIU) 6-3
3. Andrea Quiroz/Linda Eloundou (EMU) def. Isabella Righi/McKenna Chudy (NIU) 6-3
 
-- NIU --
 
Twitter: @NIUAthletics
Facebook: NIU Huskies
Instagram: niuhuskies
YouTube: NIU Athletics