MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's tennis team nearly overcame numerous injuries and a very limited roster in giving Northern Iowa all it could handle Saturday afternoon before dropping a 4-3 nailbiter at River Glen Elite.
 
The MKE Panthers (5-6) were taking on the UNI Panthers (2-9) with a lineup of just five due to injury – missing three of its top players in Nadiia Konieva, Nikola Nikolajeva, and Sara Simonova.
 
"We really have that 'next-up' mentality," head coach Mark Goldin "It gave a few players who hadn't been in the lineup a chance to really show what they can do. In the end, we left it all out there and can live with the result because we felt like we did everything in our control to compete and give ourselves the best chance to win."
 
The day started off strong, however, with Milwaukee overcoming the odds to take the doubles point.
 
"The doubles point was big," Goldin said. "Giorgia (Cavestro) brought huge energy and was able to come back. Emilia even fought off two match points in singles … in the end we fought as hard as we could but it didn't go our way this time. We focus hard on a sheet we create in the beginning of the year on team identity – how we want other teams to talk about us after matches. And I feel that today we held strong to our team identity and I am proud of them for that."
 
The doubles tandem of Laure Razet and Elisa Rubio made quick work of Darta Dalecka and Lorena Cardoso at No. 1, winning 6-1.
 
At No. 2, Giorgia Cavestro and Emilia Durska were down 5-4, but broke serve to force a tiebreaker and cruised from there, 7-6 (7-1).
 
Singles play saw the visitors pick up a point at No. 5, but Razet earned a victory next, topping Cardoso, 6-3, 6-3. She trailed briefly in the second set but rallied back quickly for the decision to make it 2-2 on the scoreboard.
 
UNI went back ahead, 3-2, with a win at No. 4, leaving courts No. 3 and No. 1 left for MKE to decide the match.
 
Durska was spectacular to pick up the point and level the scoreline at No. 3, coming from behind, 5-2, in the third set to force a tiebreaker after also fighting off that pair of match points. She then jumped ahead, 3-1, in the tiebreak before closing out the impressive 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3) win.
 
That left court, No.1. where Rubio forced a third set with a good comeback of her own, breaking serve to lead 6-5 in the second game before winning, 7-5, to force a winner-take-all set on the day.
 
After falling behind, another great comeback attempt ensued, getting back to 5-3 after trailing 4-0 and 5-1 before the visitors put a stop to the thriller, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
 
Up next, the Panthers are off until their Florida trip gets underway, heading to play at the USTA Center in Orlando, Fla. The first of three matches will be against Connecticut March 18, starting at 10:30 a.m.
 
Northern Iowa 4, Milwaukee 3
Singles competition
1. Darta Dalecka (UNI) def. Elisa Rubio (MKE) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
2. Laure Razet (MKE) def. Lorena Cardoso (UNI) 6-3, 6-3
3. Emilia Durska (MKE) def. Kim Zizek (UNI) 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Andjela Razantovic (UNI) def. Honoka Yamashita (MKE) 6-3, 6-4
5. Kanyanut Sudsaard (UNI) def. Giorgia Cavestro (MKE) 6-0, 6-1
6. Abbie Peterson (UNI) def. No player (MKE), by default
Doubles competition
1. Laure Razet/Elisa Rubio (MKE) def. Darta Dalecka/Lorena Cardoso (UNI) 6-1
2. Giorgia Cavestro/Emilia Durska (MKE) def. Kim Zizek/Andjela Razantovic (UNI) 7-6 (7-1)
3. Kanyanut Sudsaard/Abbie Peterson (UNI) def. No player/No player (MKE), by default