Women's Tennis | October 27

DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University junior Nataly Ninova won a pair of singles matches to advance to the semifinals while the Huskie doubles team of Ninova and Erika Dimitriev split a pair of matches at the MAC Indoor Championships in Hamilton, Ohio this past weekend.
 
"Overall, really proud of our effort in our first ever MAC Individual tournament," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "This was a solid tournament for Erika and Nataly."
 
The tournament featured two singles players and one doubles team from each of the league's eight women's tennis programs with the winners advancing to the ITA TA Masters Tournament in Rome, Georgia
 
Ninova advanced to the singles semifinals with a 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 win over Isabella Baker of Bowling Green in the first round, followed by a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Iva Daneva of Eastern Michigan.  In the semifinal match, Ball State's Annika Planinsek scored a 6-1, 7-5 win after fighting off a pair of set points.
 
"Nataly did a great job pulling out a three setter in the first round against a very good opponent from BGSU and then avenged a loss from ITA regional against a player from EMU she has now faced three times this fall," Burns said. "She just came up a little short in the semifinals against a tough player from BSU. She battled back after a tough first set and had two set points in the second set but unfortunately wasn't able to cash in."
 
In doubles action, Ninova and Erika Dimitriev fell to Toledo's Gaby Rondon and Jacklynka Scholten 10-5 in the deciding super tiebreaker in the first round. The Huskie duo came back to score a 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 win over Ball State's Isabelle Tanjuatco and Sarah Shahbaz in the consolation round.
 
"In the first doubles match versus Toledo, we fought but didn't play as well as we can, then did a great job of rebounding in the consolation with a very good win over Ball State," Burns said. "BSU had just advanced to the quarterfinals of their ITA Regional a couple of weeks ago, so this was a good effort to get this win, and it was excellent doubles from both teams."
 
Dimitriev drew eventual champion Catherine Denysiewicz-Slowek of Miam in the first round and moved into the consolation round, where her opponent from Eastern Michigan withdrew due to injury, giving Dimitriev the walk-over win.
 
The Huskies close out the fall tournament schedule this weekend when they host the 4th Annual Huskie Indoor Invitational at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House. Teams from Marquette, Lewis, St. Thomas and IU Indy along with the host Huskies will compete on November 1-3 with action starting at 9 a.m. each day. Admission is free.
 
NIU SINGLES RESULTS
First Round: Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Isabella Baker (BGSU), 6-2, 6(5)-7(7), 7-5
First Round: Catherine Denysiewicz-Slowek (Miami) def. Erika Dimitriev (NIU), 6-4, 6-2
Consolation: Erika Dimitriev (NIU) def. Sabina Brichackova (EMU) w/o
Quarterfinal: Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Iva Daneva (EMU), 6-0, 6-4
Semifinal: Annika Planinsek (BSU) def. Nataly Ninova (NIU), 6-1, 7-5
 
NIU DOUBLES RESULTS
Quarterfinal: Gaby Rondon/Jacklynka Scholten (UT) def. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU), 7-6, 3-6, 10-5
Consolation: Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Isabelle Tanjuatco/Sarah Shahbaz (BSU), 4-6, 6-3, 10-7
 
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