Women’s tennis wins on Senior Day

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Senior Pauline Chawafambira volleys on the West tennis courts at NIU. Chawafambira lost her final home match (6-2, 6-1) Friday in Rockford.

By Danielle Brown

DeKALB — Women’s tennis tallied a 4-3 victory over the Western Michigan University Broncos Friday on Senior Day.

The match was set for the West tennis courts on campus, but because of weather concerns, the match was moved to the Boylan Tennis Center, 4000 St. Francis Drive in Rockford.

Senior honorees Adey Osabuohien and Pauline Chawafambira were not able to get their final home match on the campus courts as planned but were able to help pick up a win for the team.

“I’m very proud of the team [Friday]” said Head Coach Tanya Mehefu, according to NIU Media Services. “We played good doubles, which helped the momentum of the match.”

The Huskies (9-12, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) started the game on a positive note, winning the doubles point. Doubles partners Chawafambira and junior Evelyn Youel won the first match (6-2) at No. 3 while Osabuohien and freshman Raven Neely won (7-6) at No. 1.

Osabuohien won her singles match at No. 1 (6-1, 6-1), and junior Michelle Erasmus also won her singles at No. 3 (6-1, 6-1).

Neely, who won her singles at No. 2 (6-2, 7-6), won the match for the Huskies after she defeated sophomore Katyja Fevralev in two sets.

Doubles partners in Erasmus and junior Abigail Dekkinga went 6-6 against sophomore Denise Azcui and Fevralev, which did not transfer into a victory for the Huskies. Chawafambira, Dekkinga and Youel were not able to come up with a win at No. 3 (6-2, 6-1), No. 4 (6-2, 6-0), and No. 5 (6-2, 6-2), respectively. All three players lost in two sets.

The Huskies will have a week off before facing the Bowling Green State University Falcons noon Friday, as it is the last match before the MAC Championships April 28 to April 30 in Muncie, Indiana.