Sarah Murfey and Hild Andersch preserved the NIU women’s tennis team’s third-straight 9-0 victory with a dramatic three-set win over DePaul yesterday.

After dropping the first set 7-5, Murfey and Andersch rallied for a 6-2, 6-4 win, but it was a hard-fought victory at the West Campus Courts.

Andersch, playing her last meet at NIU, hit key lobs to keep the DePaul duo of Julie Falduto and Jenny Ori off the net, where they were having much success throughout the match.

“They were really close to the net, so the lob was an advantage,” Andersch said.

“It’s wonderful,” NIU coach Patty Groth said of the 9-0 victory. “I thought we were capable of winning ‘em all today.”

In singles action, No. 1 Murfey started the whitewash with a handy, 6-0, 6-0 victory over the Blue Demons Julie Falduto. Jami Cheek, Natalie Todorovic, Svetalana Nedeljkovic and Breda Dean followed Murfey’s winning example.

The combination of Nedeljkovic and Cheek prevailed in a first-set thriller 7-6 (16-14), 6-2, while doubles combination Todorovic and Dean also won in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0.