DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team closed out its 2024 non-conference schedule with a pair wins Saturday, defeating Eastern Illinois, 7-0, to start the day and St. Thomas, 6-1, in the nightcap, to improve to 11-5 on the season. NIU now has won five consecutive, and eight of its last nine, matches.
 
"There were a lot of really good efforts across the board today," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "It was a team effort the whole weekend. Now we can segue and start thinking about the MAC matches. We feel good about where we're at."
 
NIU did not surrender a set in sweeping Eastern Illinois (0-14). Ahead 1-0 after taking the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and 3 doubles, Nataly Ninova and Isabella Righi made quick work of their opponents at No. 2 and 3 singles, respectively.  Ninova gave up just one game to EIU's Jemma Booth in a 6-0, 6-1 win.  Sophomore Jenna Horne and freshman Sydney Paradise each lost just two games at No. 5 and No. 6 singles.  
 
"I thought we handled Eastern Illinois well," Burns said. "The scores didn't indicate how close some of those matches were. We did a nice job to not overlook them and to play well and be ready to go this morning."
 
Playing its third match in less than 30 hours, the Huskies opened play versus St. Thomas by taking the doubles point. Diana Lukyanova and Righi improved to 9-4 on the season with a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles while Reagan Welch teamed with Anastasia Rakita in the No. 3 spot to clinch the doubles point, 6-3.
 
The Tommies (6-5) tied the match when Righi was forced to retire, but straight-set wins by Erika Dimitriev and Lukyanova at No. 1 and No. 2 singles gave the Huskies a 3-1 lead. Ninova and Welch dropped their first sets at No. 4 and 5 singles giving St. Thomas hope of a comeback.  While each rebounded to win their second sets, Horne was taking care of business at No. 6 singles with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Naisha Srivastav of St. Thomas to clinch the win. Ninova ended up winning in three sets, and Welch earned the win in the 10-point tiebreaker.
 
"This was a good win for us, and good way to cap off the non-conference season," Burns said. "It was the third match of the weekend, and we fought hard against a good team.  Really across the board everyone played well. Jenna did a great job, Erika came back after being out and played really well in doubles and singles. Nataly battled through a tough three-setter and Diana was just excellent all weekend."
 
The Huskies open the 10-match Mid-American Conference slate next Sunday at Ball State.
 
NIU Huskies 7, Eastern Illinois 0
March 9, 2024 at DeKalb, Illinois
(Nelson Tennis Center)
 
Singles
1. Diana Lukyanova (NIU-W) def. Addison Brown (EIU-W) 6-1, 7-5
2. Nataly Ninova (NIU-W) def. Jemma Booth (EIU-W) 6-0, 6-1
3. Isabella Righi (NIU-W) def. Michelle Kostadinova (EIU-W) 6-2, 6-2
4. Reagan Welch (NIU-W) def. Aleyla Wooten (EIU-W) 6-2, 6-4
5. Jenna Horne (NIU-W) def. Luisa Ren-Salazar (EIU-W) 6-1, 6-1
6. Sydney Paradise (NIU-W) def. Em Pilipovic-Kljajic (EIU-W) 6-0, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Diana Lukyanova/Isabella Righi (NIU-W) def. Addison Brown/Jemma Booth (EIU-W) 6-2
2. Nataly Ninova/Anastasia Rakita (NIU-W) vs. Aleyla Wooten/Luisa Ren-Salazar (EIU-W) 5-3, unfinished
3. Reagan Welch/Jenna Horne (NIU-W) def. Michelle Kostadinova/Em Pilipovic-Kljajic (EIU-W) 6-2
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,3,1,4,5,6)
 
NIU Huskies 6, St. Thomas 1
March 9, 2024 at DeKalb, Illinois
(Nelson Tennis Center)
 
Singles
1. Erika Dimitriev (NIU-W) def. Marthe Degeorges (UST) 6-4, 6-1
2. Diana Lukyanova (NIU-W) def. Caroline Lindahl (UST) 6-0, 6-3
3. Olivia Paradise (UST) def. Isabella Righi (NIU-W) 6-2, retired
4. Nataly Ninova (NIU-W) def. Yinong Ma (UST) 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-2
5. Reagan Welch (NIU-W) def. Tentu, S (UST) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5)
6. Jenna Horne (NIU-W) def. Naisha Srivastav (UST) 6-3, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Diana Lukyanova/Isabella Righi (NIU-W) def. Marthe Degeorges/Yinong Ma (UST) 6-2
2. Erika Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU-W) vs. Caroline Lindahl/Olivia Paradise (UST) 5-5, unfinished
3. Reagan Welch/Anastasia Rakita (NIU-W) def. Tentu, S/Naisha Srivastav (UST) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,2,1,6,4,5)
 
-- NIU --
 
Twitter: @NIUAthletics
Facebook: NIU Huskies
Instagram: niuhuskies
YouTube: NIU Athletics