Women's Tennis | February 1

DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team lost 6-1 to Minnesota on Saturday night at home.

NIU (5-2) dropped the doubles point with a pair of 6-4 losses at No. 2 and No. 3. Malika Kabdesh / Nataly Ninova recorded a 6-2 doubles win at No. 1.

Sophomore Irmak Budak (Istanbul, Turkey/SAJEV) posted the NIU singles win, defeating Minnesota's Avia Schmitz 7-6, 7-5 on the top court. The win is Budak's second win over a power four conference opponent this season.

A trio of matches went into the third set, including Ninova (Palma de Mallorca, Spain/IES Centre De Tecnificacio Esportiva IB) battling Mia Liepert of Minnesota for just under three hours. Liepert held on to win 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-1).

Sophomore Lucia Yecora (Seville, Spain/IES V Centenario School) battled at No. 3 before eventually falling 4-6, 6-4, 4-6. On the final court, senior Jenna Horne (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) lost 6-2, 2-6, 5-10.

The Huskies winning streak is halted at five matches and next travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa for a doubleheader against North Dakota and Northern Iowa on Friday, Feb. 6.

Doubles
Malika Kabdesh/Nataly Ninova def. Jeselle Ante/Sofia Pinto (MINN) 6-2
Anlin Xie/Yinong Ma (MINN) def. Isabella Righi/Lucia Yecora 6-4
Nora Knezevic/Mia Liepert (MINN) def. Theodora Kousiou/Jenna Horne 6-4

Singles
Irmak Budak def. Aiva Schmitz (MINN) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
Jeselle Ante (MINN) def. Theodora Kousiou7-5, 6-2
Sofia Pinto (MINN) def. Lucia Yecora 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Mia Liepert (MINN) def. Nataly Ninova 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-1)
Anlin Xie (MINN) def. Malika Kabdesh 6-2, 6-1
Yinong Ma (MINN) def. Jenna Horne 2-6, 6-2, 10-5