Redbirds Defeat Northern Illinois In Final Non-Conference Match

DEKALB, Ill. – The Illinois State women's tennis team made the most of its final tuneup before starting Missouri Valley Conference action this weekend, as the Redbirds (12-7) battled to a 4-3 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies (8-8) Tuesday afternoon at Chick Evans Field House.

"It's always a different dynamic playing on three courts and I give a lot of credit to Tara for coming up with a win to put the second round of singles matches in good position," ISU head coach Maja Kovacek said. "Laura, Elena and Penelope started strong in their first sets and we were able to get fourth point convincingly."

ISU picked up the early doubles point, thanks to a deciding win at the No. 3 spot. The duo of Alicja Zduniak and Jelena Karla Vujicic defeated NIU's Lara Slisko and Fernanda Naves, 6-4, at the No. 2 spot, but the Huskies picked up a win at No. 1 leaving it up to the deciding match at No. 3. Othilia Brodin and Penelope Abreu were strong, picking up a 6-4 win over Iullia Dmitrieva and Diana Lukyanova to decide the doubles point.

A 6-1, 6-4 win by Tara Damnjanovic at the No. 2 spot gave the Redbirds a 2-0 lead, however the Huskies battled back with wins at No. 3 and No. 1 singles to even the match at 2-2. Abreu then put the Redbirds back up with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 victory at the No. 5 spot and Laura Arciniegas then clinched the match with her 6-2, 6-2 win over NIU's Fernanda Naves at No. 4.

The Redbirds will begin MVC play on Saturday at 1 p.m. against the Bradley Braves in Peoria, Illinois, at the Markin Tennis Courts.

ILLINOIS STATE 4, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 3
 
Singles competition:
1. Maria Potsi (NIU) def. Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) 6-4, 6-2
2. Tara Damnjanovic (ILS) def. Anastasia Rakita (NIU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Diana Lukyanova (NIU) def. Natalia Bravo (ILS) 6-1, 6-2
4. Laura Arciniegas (ILS) def. Fernanda Naves (NIU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Penelope Abreu (ILS) def. Christy Robinson (NIU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Paula Veyhle (NIU) def. Elena Jankulovska (ILS) 1-6, 7-5, 10-7

Doubles competition:
1. Maria Potsi/Anastasia Rakita (NIU) def. Tara Damnjanovic/Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) 6-3
2. Alicja Zduniak/Jelena Karla Vujicic (ILS) def. Lara Slisko/Fernanda Naves (NIU) 6-4
3. Othilia Brodin/Penelope Abreu (ILS) def. Iullia Dmitrieva/Diana Lukyanova (NIU) 6-4

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