WATERLOO, Iowa – Nadiia Konieva and Sara Simonova prevailed in both singles and doubles play to lead the Milwaukee women's tennis team to a 5-2 victory over Northern Iowa Friday afternoon from Black Hawk Tennis Center.
 
The MKE Panthers (4-6) stayed hot against the UNI Panthers (1-9), winning for the sixth time in the past eight meetings in the all-time series. The day started with strong doubles play and the clinching match point came from Emilia Durska at No. 3 singles, giving the team its second win in its past three matches this spring.
 
"This was a great TEAM win," head coach Mark Goldin said. "We are still down a few players and some are playing injured, but we found a way to fight together as a team and scrap out five points."
 
Doubles play was all MKE.
 
Laure Razet and Svava Schroeder started things off with a quick 6-2 victory at No. 3 before Konieva and Simonova closed it out with a 6-3 decision at No. 2.
 
"We are improving every match, both physically and mentally," Goldin said. "We can continue to build on this and prepare for conference. The team is really understanding what it means to compete, while enjoying the process. And I am really having fun out on court as a coach. UNI fought hard and was very respectful. They always fight hard for coach Chris (Sagers). Tomorrow we are ready to enter another battle at Western Illinois."
 
On singles courts, Nel Van Hout finished first, taking care of business at No. 2 over Lucia Schuknecht 6-3, 6-1. The win improves her overall record to 15-2 on the season. Konieva was close behind at the top, closing out Andjela Raznatovic 7-5, 6-3 at No. 1 to put Milwaukee ahead, 3-0.
 
UNI rebounded for wins at No. 4 and No. 6, but Durska made sure that was as close as it would get, taking down Yangjiaxin Li 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) for the clincher.
 
Simonova grabbed the last point for the visitors as well, fighting off a pair of match points down 4-5, 30-40, in the third set to come out on top over Kayla Santosa 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.
 
The team continues the busy weekend with a match at Western Illinois tomorrow morning, set to get underway at 9:30 a.m.

 
Milwaukee 5, Northern Iowa 2
Singles competition
1. Nadiia Konieva (MKE) def. Andjela Raznatovic (UNI) 7-5, 6-3
2. Nel Van Hout (MKE) def. Lucia Schuknecht (UNI) 6-3, 6-1
3. Emilia Durska (MKE) def. Yangjiaxin Li (UNI) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Andrea Noa Galin (UNI) def. Honoka Yamashita (MKE) 6-4, 6-3
5. Sara Simonova (MKE) def. Kayla Santosa (UNI) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
6. Abbie Peterson (UNI) def. Svava Schroeder (MKE) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Andjela Raznatovic/Lucia Schuknecht (UNI) vs. Emilia Durska/Nel Van Hout (MKE) 3-5, unfinished
2. Nadiia Konieva/Sara Simonova (MKE) def. Yangjiaxin Li/Abbie Peterson (UNI) 6-3
3. Laure Razet/Svava Schroeder (MKE) def. Andrea Noa Galin/Kayla Santosa (UNI) 6-2
Match Notes:
Milwaukee 4-6
Northern Iowa 1-9
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,1,4,6,3,5)
T-2:52