Defeating the Marquette Golden Eagles 6-1, the NIU women’s tennis team earned its first win of the season. Winning every match that wasn’t incomplete or retired, the Huskies were successful in both singles and doubles.
Sophomore Jenna Horne and junior Reagan Welch got the win against Marquette sophomore Emma Davis and junior Tiera Jarmond after going up 6-3.
Senior Diana Lukyanova and sophomore Isabella Righi were consistent after winning the first set to defeat Marquette seniors Lara Kaiser and Andie Weise by a score of 6-2.
Junior duo Erika Dimitriev and Angelica Ross’s game against senior duo Emilija Kojcic and Tiana Windbuchler was ruled incomplete, leaving neither duo as the winner.
After multiple long points and close sets, Dimitriev won her game against Kojcic, forcing three sets, taking the tie breaker and winning 6-1, 4-6, 77-64.
“I think my first set was really good,” Dimitriev said. “I was really sharp, I was going through my sets. In the second set she picked up her game a little bit and I had a few sloppier games. When you’re playing against a good player and that happens, things kind of go a little south. In the third set I was just thinking how I needed to fight and focus on every single point.”
Success was plentiful, with Lukyanova defeating Davis and Welch getting the win over Marquette senior Sarah Badawi, both in 6-3, 6-2 sets.
Also winning in straight sets was Righi, earning the win in 6-3, 6-3 sets against Windbuchler.
Earning her first win in her first game, NIU freshman Sydney Paradise came back after being down 3-6, forcing tiebreakers in each of her next sets. Winning both tiebreakers, she defeated Kaiser by a score of 3-6, 77-65, 110-08.
NIU women’s tennis head coach Eric Burns expressed his pride at the win for Paradise.
“That’s a great way to start, to pull out a three setter like that,” Burns said. “She kind of found at the last minute that she was going to go in, and she made the most of her opportunity. It was a really great match for her.”
Burns explained what he hopes to carry into games against their next opponent.
“We would really like to just keep playing the way we played today,” Burns said. “This is what we’re looking for and I’m hoping we can come out with the same energy tomorrow. Just play as well as we did, whatever happens, happens, but just put together a good performance.”
The Huskies are back in action at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Nelson Tennis Center at the Chick Evans Field House against opponent Bellarmine University. Live stats will be available via IonCourt.
