From NSU Sports Info.
Cedrique Flemming, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
RiverHawks move one win shy of conference title
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The No. 16-ranked Northeastern State women’s tennis team defeated Missouri Western State 7-2 Sunday afternoon at Genesis Health Club.
The win officially clinched a spot for NSU in the 2016 MIAA Championship, but the RiverHawks (14-2, 8-0 MIAA) have their eyes set on a bigger prize as they now stand just one victory away from capturing their third-consecutive MIAA Regular Season Championship.
Northeastern State has also won 10-straight matches, marking the longest win streak since claiming 16 in a row late in the 2014 campaign.
NSU gifted the Griffons (8-3, 3-4 MIAA) two points to start the day after defaulting at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles due to an incomplete lineup, but the RiverHawks cruised in all seven contested matches to earn the 7-2 victory. Northeastern State has now defaulted at least one point in eight of its last nine matches.
The two contested doubles courts were won by NSU, beginning with an 8-2 victory for junior Valeriia Efimenko and Karla Tomaic over Joanna Abreu Roman and Sarah Giraldo at the second flight.
Senior Patricia Husakova and sophomore Molly Worden defeated Sofia Aguilera and Yasmine El Ghazi 8-3 on the top court.
Sophomore Daria Panferova started singles with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Giraldo from the second position, and Efimenko secured a 6-3, 6-0 triumph over Aguilera at the third spot in the lineup.
Husakova, the nation’s No. 32-ranked singles player, clinched the team victory when El Ghazi retired after falling behind 6-0, 4-3 on the top court.
Worden defeated Abreu Roman 6-0, 6-1 on the fourth court, and Tomaic topped Denise Chiao 6-1, 6-0 from the fifth position to wrap up the day.
Northeastern State will have two cracks at clinching the regular season title. The first opportunity will come at 2 p.m. April 15 in Topeka, Kansas, when the green and white is slated to take on Washburn. If the RiverHawks win at least one of their final two conference matches, they will clinch the No. 1 seed in the MIAA tournament for a third-straight year.
Tennis Match Results
Apr 10, 2016 at St. Joseph, Mo.
(Genesis Health Club)
#16 Northeastern State 7, Missouri Western State 2
Singles Competition
1. #32 Patricia Husakova (NSU) def. Yasmine El Ghazi (MWSU) 6-0, 4-3, retired
- Daria Panferova (NSU) def. Sarah Giraldo (MWSU) 6-0, 6-0
- Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Sofia Aguilera (MWSU) 6-3, 6-0
- Molly Worden (NSU) def. Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) 6-0, 6-1
- Karla Tomaic (NSU) def. Denise Chiao (MWSU) 6-1, 6-0
- Missouri Western State wins by default
Doubles Competition
1. Patricia Husakova/Molly Worden (NSU) def. Sofia Aguilera/Yasmine El Ghazi (MWSU) 8-3
2. Valeriia Efimenko/Karla Tomaic (NSU) def. Joanna Abreu Roman/Sarah Giraldo (MWSU) 8-
3. Missouri Western State wins by default
Match Notes
Northeastern State 14-2 (8-0 MIAA); National ranking #16
Missouri Western State 8-4 (3-4 MIAA)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (2,3,1,4,5)