March 21, 2009

Final Results in PDF Format

OXFORD, Ohio - The Northern Illinois women's tennis team evened its Mid-American Conference record with a 6-1 dual match loss at preseason favorite Miami (Ohio) Saturday.

The Huskies dropped the decisive doubles point for just the first time in the past three matches, and saw the RedHawks record singles wins at the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 positions. Freshman Emily Rogers recorded a victory at the fifth singles flight, holding a 1-0 lead in the third set, and defeating Miami's (Ohio) Riekie Honiball in an ensuing super tiebreaker (10-1) after the match had already been decided.

"It was a rough day for us on the scoreboard, but the bottom line is that we lost to a better and more experienced team in Miami (Ohio)," said NIU head coach Ryun Ferrell. "They are so deep, and their talent near the top of the lineup was definitely on display.

"Overall I'm pleased with how we played this weekend. We were able to get our first win over Ball State in a number of years, and we competed hard today. Emily Rogers continues to have a great freshman season, and Sara McLaughlin looked very good in singles, despite her being out of the lineup for a few matches. We'll learn from this one and get ready for our road trip next weekend."

Kathryn Friedlund at Sara McLaughlin dropped an 8-1 pro-set decision to their Miami (Ohio) counterparts at No. 3 doubles to begin the match. Lilian Asuaje and Rogers fell by a score of 8-4 at No. 2, while Nao Umemura and Brooke Forsberg, NIU's top doubles duo, were outlasted, 8-5.

NIU won just a combined five games at the top three positions, with all three representatives falling in straight-set decisions. Asuaje fell in a 6-0, 6-1 match, followed by consecutive 6-1, 6-1 losses at both No. 2 and No. 3 singles, by Friedlund and Martina Schnapp, respectively.

Umemura also dropped a 6-1 decision in the opening set, but fought back in the second frame, eventually losing, 6-4. McLaughlin battled in a tough, 7-5 loss in the opening set at No. 6 singles, before falling in the second stanza, 6-2.

Rogers dropped the opening set at the fifth singles flight, 6-2, answered with a 6-3 second-set win, and was leading in the decisive third frame, 1-0, heading into the super tiebreaker, which is played to 10 points. Rogers prevailed in the extra session, 10-1.

NIU will continue its MAC road swing next weekend, when the Huskies visit both Buffalo (March 27) and Akron (March 28).