Women’s tennis splits weekend games after win over Buffalo
April 26, 2021
DeKALB — After suffering a loss Friday to the Bowling Green State University Falcons, the women’s tennis team pulled off the season sweep of the University at Buffalo Bulls Saturday, 4-3.
Friday: BGSU 6, NIU 1
BGSU claimed the doubles point in two matches against NIU, giving the Falcons an early 1-0 lead. The third doubles match went unfinished.
The Falcons took a 2-0 lead after NIU senior Maria Potsi fell in two sets to senior Marharita-Sophia Tavpash 6-2, 7-6 (6-0).
NIU first-year Diana Lukyanova was able to put the Huskies on the board, making the match 2-1 after defeating sophomore Ioanna Tsadari in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Unfortunately for NIU, it would drop the next four matches, each only going to two sets, giving BGSU the 6-1 win.
Saturday: NIU 4, Buffalo 3
NIU secured the doubles point to give the team the early 1-0 lead. Potsi and first-year Anastasia Rakita took a 6-3 victory, while Lukyanova and Dmitrieva took a 6-1 victory. The third doubles match went unfinished as a result.
Potsi and Rakita won the first two matches in singles play, winning in two sets each, giving NIU an early 3-0 lead.
However, Buffalo mounted a comeback over the next three matches, with the first of the three only going to two sets. NIU junior Christy Robinson managed to take Buffalo sophomore Azra Deniz Comlek to three sets, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, but the loss allowed Buffalo to tie the match at 3.
NIU junior Iulliia Dmitrieva managed to defeat first-year Mariana Carvajal Torres in three sets, 2-6, 7-6 (7-0) and then a 6-0 sweep in the final set to secure the Huskies the 4-3 win.
“This was an amazing match,” NIU Head Coach Eric Burns said in a Saturday NIU news release. “With the match tied 3-3 [Dmitrieva] fought off three match points in the second set tiebreaker to come back and win the second set and then dominated the third set to clinch the match.”
With the win, NIU moves to 14-13 on the season, and 6-6 in Mid-American Conference play.
The Huskies return to the court noon Friday to kick off their final weekend of play against the Ball State University Cardinals in Muncie, Indiana.
