MADISON, Wis. – The Milwaukee women's tennis team battled more than its opponents Friday, dealing with illness and injury on a day it took on both Wisconsin and Northern Illinois at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
 
The Panthers (2-2) dropped a pair of 4-0 matches to both the Badgers (2-1) and the Huskies (5-1), with each match halted once a winner was clinched.
 
"It has been a tough week with the girls getting sick and some injuries, but we have that next-up mentality and the team came out and competed hard today," head coach Mark Goldin said. "Although we didn't get the results we wanted, we will learn from the losses and use it to get better." 
 
Play got better as the day went on, but Milwaukee was not able to close out any victories before the matches were clinched.
 
Against Northern Illinois, the doubles point came down to the final match after Emilia Durska and Giorgia Cavestro defeated Isabelle Righi and Lucia Yecora, 6-2, at No. 2, to make it 1-1 at that point.
 
In singles action, Nadiia Konieva (No. 1), Nikola Nikolajeva (No. 2), and Durska (No. 4) were all even at one set apiece when the Huskies sealed the victory.
 
Things were a bit tougher against UW to start the morning, which came into the match just a few days removed from knocking off the No. 20 team in the country.
 
The Panthers continue their busy weekend Sunday, set to take on Marquette on the road starting at 11 a.m.
 
"Tomorrow we will rest up and prepare for a battle against local rival Marquette on Sunday," Goldin said. "We can't wait."
 
 
Northern Illinois 4, Milwaukee 0
Singles competition
1. Irmak Budak (NIU) vs. Nadiia Konieva (MKE) 6-4, 2-5, unfinished
2. Maria Dzemeshkevich (NIU) vs. Nikola Nikolajeva (MKE) 1-6, 5-3, unfinished
3. Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-2, 6-0
4. Lucia Yecora (NIU) vs. Emilia Durska (MKE) 3-6, 6-4, unfinished
5. Reagan Welch (NIU) def. Elisa Rubio (MKE) 6-1, 6-4
6. Jenna Horne (NIU) def. Honoka Yamashita (MKE) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Maria Dzemeshkevich/Nataly Ninova (NIU) def. Nadiia Konieva/Nikola Nikolajeva (MKE) 6-1
2. Emilia Durska/Giorgia Cavestro (MKE) def. Isabelle Righi/Lucia Yecora (NIU) 6-2
3. Reagan Welch/Jenna Horne (NIU) def. Elisa Rubio/Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-3
 
 
Wisconsin 4, Milwaukee 0
Singles competition
1. Taylor Cataldi (WIS) vs. Nikola Nikolajeva (MKE) 6-3, unfinished
2. Maria Sholkhova (WIS) def. Laure Razet (MKE) 6-1, 6-1
3. Ellison Reynoldson (WIS) vs. Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-0, unfinished
4. Ariel Johnson (WIS) def. Emilia Durska (MKE) 6-1, 6-0
5. Kaja Jacobson (WIS) def. Elisa Rubio (MKE) 6-1, 6-0
6. Parker Christensen (WIS) vs. Honoka Yamashita (MKE) 6-1, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Ariel Johnson/Maria Sholkhova (WIS) vs. Nadiia Konieva/Nikola Nikolajeva (MKE) 3-4, unfinished
2. Ekaterina Ivanova/Ellison Reynoldson (WIS) def. Laure Razet/Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-1
3. Taylor Cataldi/Parker Christensen (WIS) def. Giorgia Cavestro/Emilia Durska (MKE) 6-1