DeKALB — The women’s tennis team takes itself to a three-game winning streak after freezing out Western Illinois University and the University of St. Thomas from the scoreboard in back-to-back home matches Friday and Saturday in DeKalb.

Friday: Huskies 7, Leathernecks 0

NIU opened weekend play against the visiting WIU Leathernecks Friday, dominating their in-state rivals in all phases of the match to win 7-0.

“About midway through the doubles, we picked it up, and the singles was a very good performance across the board,” head coach Eric Burns said in an NIU Athletics press release.

The pair of freshman Erika Dimitriev and sophomore Anastasia Rakita bested WIU sophomore Aina Cortina-Poi and junior Likhitha “Lucky” Kancherla 6-2 to open doubles play Friday.

Sophomore Diana Lukyanova and freshman Reagan Welch followed NIU’s opening win with a victory of their own, defeating Leatherneck freshmen Ashley Jacobson and Paige Grice 6-0.

Seniors Fernanda Naves and Iuliia Dmitrieva closed out doubles competition Friday, beating WIU sophomores Agatha Carbonell and Maria Rybka 6-2.

The Huskies continued their winning ways throughout singles play, sweeping the Leathernecks in each matchup. Senior Paula Veyhle saw her first action of the 2021-22 campaign at the No. 6 spot, scoring six each both matches against WIU’s Rybka, winning 6-2 and 6-0.

“It was good to get her in the line-up today and get her some work,” Burns said regarding Veyhle’s season debut. “We’re really happy to see her back on the court.”

Saturday: Huskies 7, Tommies 0

NIU returned to action Saturday for another home bout, this time tasked with holding their own against the St. Thomas Tommies.

Dimitriev and Rakita emerged as 6-3 victors in their battle with St. Thomas freshman Abigail Bremel and senior Olivia Paradise. Lukyanova and Welch followed suit with a 6-0 shutout win over St. Thomas sophomore Jannah El Nemr and freshman Regina Talavera.

The final doubles matchup of Saturday’s event saw the Huskies sustain their first loss of the weekend. NIU’s Dmitrieva and Naves fell to the Tommies’ pairing of sophomores Nicole Snezhko and Monterey Knewtson 6-3.

Singles play on Saturday mirrored that of Friday’s as the Huskies kept the Tommies in the loss column in every matchup. NIU ended competition Saturday by sealing a second-straight 7-0 event victory.

“Everyone was solid across the board and took care of their matches,” Burns said.

The consecutive weekend wins at home take NIU’s overall record to 3-1 on the young season. The Huskies are riding a streak of three straight wins since falling to the University of Wisconsin 7-0 in their season opener at home on Jan. 29.

NIU will look to remain undefeated on the weekend as they travel east to take on the 3-2 University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana. Play is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. CT Sunday and can be watched here.