Women’s tennis win regular season finale

By Danielle Brown

DeKALB — The Huskies (10-12, 4-4 Mid-American Conference) were able to post a 5-2 win over the Bowling Green State University Falcons to push ahead to MAC Championship play during the Friday regular season finale.

This is the Huskies’ first appearance in the championships since 2012 when they lost to the University of Akron Zips 4-0. It is also the first time since the MAC went to a six-team format.

“I’m very proud of the way the team competed [Friday],” said Head Coach Tanya Mahefu, according to NIU Media Services. “[The team] was very disciplined from start to finish.”

The Huskies won the doubles point at No. 1 and No. 2. Senior Adey Osabuohien and her partner, freshman Raven Neely, went 6-4 against the Falcon’s pair.

Huskie senior Pauline Chawafambira and junior Evelyn Youel went 5-4 at No. 2. The Falcons forfeited the No. 3 doubles match.

Osabuohien, Neely and Chawafambira also won their singles matches at No. 1, 2, and 3. Osabuohien (6-3, 7-5) and Chawafambira (6-4, 6-3) closed out their matches in two sets while Neely (6-3, 2-6, 6-2) went to three sets. This is Neely’s seventh straight singles win at No. 2.

Junior Abigail Dekkinga and Youel were not able to win their singles match at No. 4 and 5.

Dekkinga won one set, 6-3 and lost the other two 6-0, 7-5, while Youel (6-4, 6-1) was not able to get a win under her belt. NIU won the No. 6 singles match by forfeit.

The Huskies will travel to Muncie, Indiana for the 2017 MAC Women’s Tennis Championship.

The championship games will begin Friday and will finish Sunday in Muncie, Indiana.