Lukyanova, Righi named MAC Doubles Team of the Week

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter

February 15, 2024

Senior Diana Lukyanova prepares to return a shot in an NIU women’s tennis home meet. Lukyanova and sophomore Isabella Righi were named the MAC Doubles Team of the Week on Thursday. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

DeKALB – NIU women’s tennis duo senior Diana Lukyanova and sophomore Isabella Righi were named the MAC Doubles Team of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday.

Sophomore Isabella Righi sets up her serve in an NIU women’s tennis home meet. Righi and senior Diana Lukyanova won both of their doubles matches over the weekend against the University of Northern Iowa and University of Iowa. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics) (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

The pair won both of their completed matches over the weekend, defeating the University of Northern Iowa seniors Andrijana Brkic and Kim Zizek in a 6-3 set and University of Iowa pair sophomore Daianna Hayashida and junior Marisa Schmidt in a 6-4 set.

Lukyanova and Righi’s doubles wins helped propel the Huskies to a 6-1 win against Northern Iowa and helped prevent a sweep against Iowa in the 5-2 loss.

Against DePaul University, the Huskie duo’s match against graduate student pair Emily Casati and Yuliya Kizelbasheva tied 5-5 when it was ruled unfinished due to DePaul clinching the doubles point.

Lukyanova and Righi are the second NIU duo to receive the MAC Doubles Team of the Week honor this season. Junior Erika Dimitriev and sophomore Nataly Ninova received the award Jan. 23.

NIU women’s tennis is back in action at 11 a.m. Friday in Macomb, Illinois, against Western Illinois University, the first of a weekend on the road.