VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Milwaukee women's tennis team finished a busy weekend on the road with a big victory, picking up a 5-2 win over Valparaiso Saturday at The Courts of Northwest Indiana.
 
The Panthers (4-3) came from behind to win the doubles point against the Beacons (3-3) and then rode that momentum into singles play, with Nikola Nikolajeva clinching the decision at No. 2 singles with a come-from-behind three-set victory, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
 
"It was an absolute dog fight out there today," head coach Mark Goldin said. "Every match was a battle and we had to earn every single point. This was a TEAM win. We stayed focused on winning the battles that we could control and not stressing over anything out of our control."
 
Coming up big on the day for MKE was Sara Simonova, Emilia Durska, and Elisa Rubio, who all claimed victories in each of their doubles and singles matches on the afternoon.
 
"We talk every time out about improving from match to match and learning from the points we lose," Goldin said. "Today we made a huge jump from the last match and I can't wait to see how much we can improve before next weekend."
 
After the Beacons opened the match with a win at No. 1 doubles, the Panthers responded quickly. Rubio and Simonova steamrolled to a 6-1 decision at No. 2 and Durska and Laure Razet claimed a 6-3 win at No. 2 to hand MKE the doubles point.
 
Valpo then made it 1-1 with a win at No. 1, but Durska (6-4, 7-5 at No. 5 over Lacey Tanner) and Simonova (6-3, 6-4 over Brynn Steven at No. 4 singles) pushed the Panthers back ahead just as quickly at 3-1. It was a one-point match at 3-2 before Nikolajeva clinched it, quickly digging out of a one-set hole to secure the 4-2 advantage and the team victory.
 
Rubio prevailed at No. 6, defeating Lillian Kelly with a rally of her own at 3-6, 6-0, 7-5 to close out the scoring with her own comeback.

Up next, the Panthers will entertain another busy weekend, starting with a match at UIC Friday. Then, it's home against St. Thomas Saturday before closing out the three-matches-in-three-days run with a trip to Northwestern Sunday. 
 
Milwaukee 5, Valparaiso 2
Singles competition
1. Moira Silva (VALPO) def. Nadiia Konieva (MKE) 6-1, 6-1
2. Nikola Nikolajeva (MKE) def. Naomi Lalonde (VALPO) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
3. Jolene Fernandes (VALPO) def. Laure Razet (MKE) 7-6 (13-12), 6-1
4. Sara Simonova (MKE) def. Brynn Steven (VALPO) 6-3, 6-4
5. Emilia Durska (MKE) def. Lacey Tanner (VALPO) 6-4, 7-5
6. Elisa Rubio (MKE) def. Lillian Kelly (VALPO) 3-6, 6-0, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Moira Silva/Naomi Lalonde (VALPO) def. Nadiia Konieva/Nikola Nikolajeva (MKE) 6-0
2. Emilia Durska/Laure Razet (MKE) def. Brynn Steven/Lacey Tanner (VALPO) 6-3
3. Elisa Rubio/Sara Simonova (MKE) def. Jolene Fernandes/Lillian Kelly (VALPO) 6-1