DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team won four three-set singles matches to open its Mid-American Conference schedule Sunday with a 5-2 win over Eastern Michigan, then closed out the day with a 7-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. 
 
The victories improved NIU's record to 14-3 on the year; the Huskies are now 8-1 at home in the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House.
 
Against Eastern Michigan, the Huskies dropped the doubles point and lost in straight sets at No. 3 singles to fall behind 2-0 before coming back with four consecutive three-set victories. Junior Nataly Ninova started the NIU comeback at No. 4 singles. After losing a first-set tiebreaker to Sabina Brichackova, Ninova claimed 6-4, 6-1 wins to take the match and put NIU's first point on the board.
 
"We showed a lot of resiience," said NIU head coach Eric Burns. "We had two match points in the doubles and didn't get it. That was a tough loss to take and there were some times [versus EMU] when it didn't look too good, then we'd get a spurt and fight back. We'd get a lead and they would fight back. It was back and forth, a great match on both ends and at the end of the day our depth won out."
 
At No. 1 and No. 2 singles, Maria Dzemeshkevich and Irmak Budak won by nearly identical scores. They both won their first sets, then lost 6-3 in the second before claiming 7-5 third-set wins. Their victories put NIU ahead 3-2.
 
At No. 5 singles, freshman Lucia Yecora lost a first set tiebreaker to EMU's Marta Komar, 7-5, then scored the deciding point by winning the next two sets 6-2, 6-3.  Isabella Righi iced the NIU win with a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 6 singles.
 
"Today it came down to match toughness and match experience," said Burns. "The more you play, the more experience, the better you're going to be in those tight situations. Our players have been in these matches before against good teams and they hang in there, keep fighting and today we were able to get it done."
 
In the second match of the day, a new line-up of Huskies found success against the WarHawks. Dzemeshkevich teamed with Reagan Welch at No. 2 doubles for a quick 6-0 win that took just 20 minutes, while Budak and Sydney Paradise won 6-1 at No. 3 doubles to give NIU the point.
 
Budak earned her second singles win of the day with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Gracie Ha at No. 1 singles with Dimitriev, Welch, freshman Theodora Kousiou and Jenna Horne each claiming straight set wins. Dimitriev, Kousiou and Horne each lost just one game at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 singles, respectively.
 
Sophomore Sydney Paradise closed out the day with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 6 singles to complete the NIU sweep.  
 
"Whitewater is a team that wins their conference, they're nationally-ranked in Division III and I thought we played very well on some courts tonight in those matches," Burns said. "Knowing we'd already been on the court for a long time, we were able to stay focused and get the job done and that was good to see."
 
The Huskies head out on the road for a pair of MAC matches next weekend, beginning Friday, March 21 versus Ball State in Muncie. 
 
 
NIU 5, Eastern Michigan 2
March 16, 2025 – DeKalb, Illinois
Nelson Tennis Center
 
Singles

1. Maria Dzemeshkevich (NIU) def. Daniella Shved (EMU) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
2. Irmak Budak (NIU) def. Viktorie Hazmukova (EMU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
3. Prerna Vichare (EMU) def. Erika Dimitriev (NIU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Sabina Brichackova (EMU) 6-7 (7-0), 6-4, 6-1
5. Lucia Yecora (NIU) def. Marta Komar (EMU) 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, 6-3
6. Isabella Righi (NIU) def. Regina Mendez (EMU) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles

1. Vichare/Brichackova (EMU) def. Dzemeshkevich/Ninova (NIU) 6-2
2. Righi/Yecora (NIU) def. Hazmukova/Komar (EMU) 6-3
3. Shved/Lara Diaz Zayas (EMU) def. Reagan Welch/Jenna Horne (NIU) 7-5

Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 1, 3; Singles: 3, 4, 2, 1, 5, 6
 
 
NIU 7, UW-Whitewater 0
March 16, 2025 – DeKalb, Illinois
Nelson Tennis Center
 
Singles

1. Irmak Budak (NIU) def. Gracie Ha (UWW) 6-4, 6-1
2. Erika Dimitriev (NIU) def. Molly Asfeld (UWW) 6-0, 6-1
3. Reagan Welch (NIU) def. Abigail Weaver (UWW) 6-4, 6-1
4. Theodora Kousiou (NIU) def. Alexandra Repplier (UWW) 6-1, 6-0
5. Jenna Horne (NIU) def. Sarah Ferguson (UWW) 6-0, 6-0
6. Sydney Paradise (NIU) def. Crystina Lee (UWW) 7-5, 6-3

 
Doubles

1. Dimitriev/Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Ha/Weaver (UWW) 6-2
2. Dzemeshkevich/Welch (NIU) def. Asfeld/Repplier (UWW) 6-0
3. Budak/Paradise (NIU) def. Ava Andrae/Lee (UWW) 6-1

 
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 3, 1; Singles: 4, 2, 1, 3, 5, 6
 
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