DeKALB, Ill.  – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team wrapped up the 2022-23 campaign Sunday at the Nelson Tennis Center in Chick Evans Field House, falling, 4-3, to Western Michigan.
 
NIU finished the season with a 12-16 record and were 2-8 in Mid-American Conference matches. With the win, Western Michigan claimed the fourth and final spot in the MAC Tournament.
 
WMU claimed the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead and earned another point when Huskies' No. 1 player Erika Dimitriev was forced to retire due to injury.  Huskie freshman Nataly Ninova battled illness to score a 7-6, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles.
 
"Today was a disappointing loss," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "We played a little better today than when we played them in Kalamazoo earlier this year. Nataly had a breakthrough today. She fought through not feeling well after losing in straight sets to the same opponent a few weeks ago. She said she had to play today and that shows who she is.
 
After Western Michigan won at No. 4 and No. 5 singles, they defaulted at No. 2 and No. 6 singles, giving NIU its three points.
 
Ninova and Diana Lukyanova, who led 4-1 in the third set of her match at No. 2 singles, provided some of the Huskies most consistent play in an admittedly inconsistent season, according to Burns.
 
"The story of the year is inconsistent play across the board," Burns said. "We would have two or three players playing well on a given day but not the whole team. We struggled to come up with the big points and close out leads. The effort was there, we just need to keep working to improve. Hopefully [the struggles this season] makes us hungrier to get back and work and come back a different team."
 
NIU did not have a senior on its roster and started a line-up with as many as three freshmen in either the singles or doubles line-up, including Ninova.
 
"Nataly did well," Burns said. "Although the record doesn't reflect it, she was very competitive in the MAC matches probably playing higher than we expected her when we signed her. All the freshmen gave us as much as they could this year, that was a bright spot. They fought hard and were durable. They were a positive for us.
 
"Diana played well, especially in conference matches and had some very nice wins. I think she has a résumé that should be considered for all-conference honors."
 
Lukyanova finished the season with a 16-12 record, including a team-best 5-5 mark in MAC matches.  
 
Inconsistency also showed in the Huskie doubles line-up, which Burns said improved throughout the season. He believes NIU has enough ability to improve on this year's
 
"We can use this year as a learning experience," Burns said. "We need to do the work to improve and build our games. If we make the commitment, I see no reason we can't move up, make the MAC Tournament and go from there."
 
Singles
1. Lindsey Zieglar (WMU) def. Erika Dimitriev (NIU), 6-2, 3-0 retired
2. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) def. Karin Hamilton (WMU), 4-6, 6-4, 4-1 retired
3. Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Valeriya Monko (WMU), 7-6 (2), 6-2
4. Kaitlyn Rogosch (WMU) def. Reagan Welch (WMU), 6-3, 6-3
5. Ariane Souligny (WMU) def. Isabella Righi (WMU), 6-0, 6-3
6. Jenna Horne (NIU) def. Audrey Smitek (WMU), 4-4 retired
 
Doubles
1. Lindsey Zieglar/Valeriya Monko (WMU) def. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU), 6-2
2. Diana Lukyanova/Reagan Welch (NIU) vs. Kaitlyn Rogosch/Ariane Souligny (WMU), unfinished
3. Audrey Smitek/Karin Hamilton (WMU) def. Jenna Horne/Isabella Righi (NIU), 6-3
 
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