DeKALB, Ill. – Senior Diana Lukyanova and sophomore Jenna Horne won three-set singles matches, giving the Northern Illinois University women's tennis team a 4-3 win over Chicago State Sunday at H-F Racquet and Fitness in Homewood, Illinois.  The Huskies dropped a 4-0 decision at Northwestern Sunday evening in the second day-night doubleheader of the weekend for NIU.
 
"We had a great weekend," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "Anytime you go 3-1 in four matches in four different places, it has to do something for your confidence. We've thrown some adversity at the team and put them up against tough competition. We're only five matches away from MAC play and are sitting here with a winning record against a challenging schedule."
 
Chicago State (2-9) took a 2-0 lead by winning the doubles point and earning a win at No. 5 singles. Junior Erika Dimitriev got the Huskies on the board with a 6-4, 6-3 win over CSU's Sofiya Sedovich at No. 2 singles and Isabella Righi tied the match with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Amina Taibi at the No. 4 spot. The Cougars took a 3-2 lead when Manuella Eloundou won a second set tiebreaker over NIU's Nataly Ninova.
 
After dropping the first set to CSU's Nia Cooper at No. 6 singles, Horne came back to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-4 to tie the match at 3-3.
 
"Jenna had an unbelievable win at 6 [singles]," Burns said. "[Cooper] had been on a streak, she had a win at DePaul and was playing well and Jenna pulled that match out 6-4 in the third to keep us alive.  Then it came down to Diana."
 
Against a familiar opponent in Katarina Dukic of Chicago State, Lukyanova dropped the first set 7-5 despite having an early lead. She led 5-2 in the second set before Dukic came back and at one point served for the match. The NIU senior was able to take it to a tiebreaker, which she won 7-3, and then was able to win the third set, and the match for NIU.
 
"We were fortunate to win that [Chicago State] match," Burns said. "It was a really good match between two good teams. Chicago State has been on the verge of a couple of signature wins. They're very good and played about the best they could play. The difference was just guts." 
 
NIU (6-5) was not as fortunate at Northwestern (7-3) as the Wildcats claimed the 4-0 win in Evanston at the Combe Tennis Center.  Northwestern took the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles, then earned straight set victories at 2, 5 and 6 singles to clinch the match.
 
The Huskies return to action next Saturday at 2 p.m when they take on Valparaiso in Valparaiso, Indiana.
 
NIU Huskies 4, Chicago State 3
Feb. 18, 2024 at Homewood, Illinois, 10 a.m
(H-F Racquet and Fitness)
 
Singles
1. Diana Lukyanova (NIU-W) def. Katarina Dukic (CSUW) 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
2. Erika Dimitriev (NIU-W) def. Sofiya Sedovich (CSUW) 6-4, 6-3
3. Manuella Eloundou (CSUW) def. Nataly Ninova (NIU-W) 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Isabella Righi (NIU-W) def. Amina Taibi (CSUW) 6-2, 6-4
5. Ethel Li (CSUW) def. Reagan Welch (NIU-W) 7-5, 6-2
6. Jenna Horne (NIU-W) def. Nia Cooper (CSUW) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
 
Doubles
1. Manuella Eloundou/Nia Cooper (CSUW) vs. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU-W) 5-1, unfinished
2. Ethel Li/Sofiya Sedovich (CSUW) def. Diana Lukyanova/Isabella Righi (NIU-W) 6-1
3. Katarina Dukic/Amina Taibi (CSUW) def. Jenna Horne/Reagan Welch (NIU-W) 6-2
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,2,4,3,6,1)
 
Northwestern 4, NIU Huskies 0
2/18/2024 at Evanston, Illinois, 5:30 p.m.
(Combe Tennis Center)
 
Singles
1. Justine Leong (NUW) vs. Erika Dimitriev (NIU-W) 6-1, 3-2, unfinished
2. Maria Shusharina (NUW) def. Nataly Ninova (NIU-W) 6-1, 6-3
3. Sydney Pratt (NUW) vs. Isabella Righi (NIU-W) 6-2, 3-2, unfinished
4. Kiley Rabjohns (NUW) vs. Reagan Welch (NIU-W) 6-3, 0-4, unfinished
5. Jennifer Riester (NUW) def. Jenna Horne (NIU-W) 6-2, 6-1
6. Britany Lau (NUW) def. Angelica Ross (NIU-W) 6-0, 6-1
 
Doubles
1. Justine Leong/Neena Feldman (NUW) vs. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU-W) 4-3, unfinished
2. Christina Hand/Sydney Pratt (NUW) def. Diana Lukyanova/Isabella Righi (NIU-W) 6-1
3. Maria Shusharina/Britany Lau (NUW) def. Anastasia Rakita/Reagan Welch (NIU-W) 6-0
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,2)
 
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