Women's Tennis | March 28

DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team is on the road this weekend, taking on conference-leading UMass on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT.

The Huskies (15-6, 1-3 MAC) dropped matches to Buffalo and Western Michigan last weekend, both by score of 5-2. With four matches remaining, NIU is tied for seventh in the Mid-American standings, just behind Western Michigan (1-1 MAC), Miami (2-2 MAC) and Bowling Green (1-2 MAC).

NIU plays Miami on Friday, April 3 and Bowling Green on Sunday, April 12.

Senior Nataly Ninova (Palma de Mallorca, Spain / IES Centre De Tecnificacio Esportiva IB) recorded a singles win over Western Michigan, bringing her combined career wins total to 162. Ninova is now two wins away from becoming the program's all-time wins leader (Nelle Youel, 163; 2011-15).

Ninova has 15 singles wins this season, just ahead of freshman Rebeca Garcia Miralles with 13 and sophomore Lucia Yecora with 12. Garcia Miralles (Castellón, Spain / IES Sos Baynat) is 9-1 in her last 10 matches.

Yecora (Seville, Spain / IES V Centenario School) has recorded 10 of her 12 singles wins this year at No. 3.

UMass (12-3, 4-0) sits atop the MAC standings and have won their last five matches entering Sunday's match with NIU. The Minutewomen won both matches last weekend over Miami and Ball State by score of 4-3. Against Ball State, UMass dropped the doubles point but secured four straight singles victories to close out the win.

The three losses by UMass this season came to Boston College, No. 60 Dartmouth and No. 73 Harvard.