NIU women’s tennis (2-1) suffered its first defeat of the season in a 4-3 loss against the University of Missouri Tigers (2-0).
“We fought really hard today,” said NIU women’s tennis head coach Eric Burns. “It was a really good match for us, it came down to the doubles basically. We lost in a tiebreaker in two doubles and a close 7-5 at one against a really good team. It’s really just a matter of a couple points here and there and we end up beating a power four team. These girls really battled and did a great job and gave themselves a chance to win against a quality opponent.”
The doubles point was determined by close sets, ultimately going to the Tigers.
NIU senior Reagan Welch and junior Jenna Horne bested Tigers graduate student Lailaa Bashir and freshman Zoe Lazar in a 7(7)- 6(3) victory.
Also in a tiebreaker set, junior Isabella Righi and freshman Lucia Yecora lost to junior Andrea Artimedi and senior Mary Brumfield in a 7(7)-6(4) set.
Duo senior Maria Dzemeshkevich and junior Nataly Ninova dropped their set against Tigers senior Inah Canete and freshman Korina Roso in a 7-5 set.
The Huskies split doubles matches with the Tiger, with the win ultimately being decided by the doubles point.
After a close 7-5 first set, freshman Irmak Budak took a 6-1 set for the win against Bashir.
Ninova rolled past Lazar in straight 6-1, 6-2 sets.
Yecora played a long match against freshman Gian Octa, forcing three sets after losing the first by a score of 6-1. Yecora went on to win two consecutive 7-5 sets for the win.
“The first set was just not a good set for her,” Burns said. “Her opponent made so many balls, and it was just the longest match out there. Lou (Lucia Yecora) just kind of found the strength to fight through that match and got herself in there early in the second set. She fought off the momentum that her opponent had after that first set and hung around and was opportunistic about her chances. She was able to squeak out that second set and then went back and forth in the third, and played very well in that third set.”
After a 6-4 first set loss, Dzemeshkevich was swept in a 6-0 second set in her loss against Canete.
Welch was conquered by Artimedi in 6-0, 6-1 sets, while Horne was defeated by Rosa in 6-3, 6-1 sets.
“We just want to continue to get better each time we step out there,” Burns said. “This was a real positive weekend for us and we just need to build off of it.”
NIU women’s tennis returns to action at 9 a.m. Saturday at Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House against the University of Northern Iowa before playing Eastern Illinois University at 1 p.m.
