NIU’s women’s tennis team got off to a positive spring campaign by winning nine out of fifteen total matches in Friday through Sunday’s University of Notre Dame Eck Doubles Classic.

The Huskies were led by a ninth-place finish from Sarah Murfey and Sesca Nedeljkovica.

In addition, the NIU pair of Hild Andersch and Jami Cheek took 15th, while Monica Larson and Lisa Boedecker placed 25th among the 33 doubles teams from nine schools.

“For a first time out, I’m really pleased,” NIU’s women’s tennis coach Patty Groth said. “We beat some good people and did much better than last year. We worked hard to prepare for the meet, and it paid off. We were in good condition.”

That was in evidence in Sunday’s finals round when NIU won all three matches in three-set marathons. Murfey-Nedeljkovica were 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 winners over UND’s Eniko Bende-Kristy Doran.

Andersch-Cheek topped Marquette’s Laura Daly-Marcy Thompson 6-2, 1-6, 7-5, while Larson-Boedecker were 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victors over Candee Nelms-Missy Smith of Eastern Michigan.