EMPORIA, Kan. – The No. 16-ranked Northeastern State women's tennis team took down Emporia State 8-1 Saturday afternoon at the Milton Courts.
 
The RiverHawks (16-2, 10-0 MIAA) completed the regular season undefeated in league play to win the outright 2016 MIAA Regular Season Championship. NSU has now won 29-straight regular season conference matches and is also on a 12-match overall win streak.
 
Northeastern State will be the No. 1 seed in the 2016 MIAA Championship tournament, which will be contested April 29-May 1 at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Missouri.
 
NSU opened play against the Hornets (10-12, 2-7 MIAA) with a sweep in doubles play and then won five of the six singles matches.
 
Senior Patricia Husakova and sophomore Molly Worden defeated Tawni Griffey and Kaley Clark 8-4 at the top doubles court, junior Valeriia Efimenko and true freshman Karla Tomaic earned an 8-3 triumph over Amy Fugit and Lori Ahuja 8-3 from the second position, and the sophomore duo of Daria Panferova and Easton Parker got past Kristen Fraley and Sarah Durham 8-3 on the third court.
 
Worden opened singles action with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Ahuja from the fourth flight. Panferova clinched the team victory after she took down Clark 6-0, 6-1 at the second position.
 
Efimenko added a fifth point by defeating Fugit 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 singles, and Husakova defeated Griffey 6-0, 6-1 on the top court. Tomaic earned a 6-0, 6-1 win over Fraley from the fifth flight, and ESU's lone point of the day came in the final decision when Durham defeated Parker 6-1, 6-2.
 
Northeastern State will return home for its final regular-season match of the season. The RiverHawks will step out of conference to play host to No. 20 Midwestern State at noon April 23 at the NSU Tennis Complex.
 
Tennis Match Results
Apr 16, 2016 at Emporia, Kan.
(Milton Courts)
 
#16 Northeastern State 8, Emporia State 1
 
Singles Competition
1. #32 Patricia Husakova (NSU) def. Tawni Griffey (ESU) 6-0, 6-1
2. Daria Panferova (NSU) def. Kaley Clark (ESU) 6-0, 6-1
3. Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Amy Fugit (ESU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Molly Worden (NSU) def. Lori Ahuja (ESU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Karla Tomaic (NSU) def. Kristen Fraley (ESU) 6-0, 6-1
6. Sarah Durham (ESU) def. Easton Parker (NSU) 6-1, 6-2
 
Doubles Competition
1. Patricia Husakova/Molly Worden (NSU) def. Tawni Griffey/Kaley Clark (ESU) 8-4
2. Valeriia Efimenko/Karla Tomaic (NSU) def. Amy Fugit/Lori Ahuja (ESU) 8-3
3. Daria Panferova/Easton Parker (NSU) def. Kristen Fraley/Sarah Durham (ESU) 8-3
 
Match Notes
Northeastern State 16-2 (10-0 MIAA); National ranking #16
Emporia State 10-12 (2-7 MIAA)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,3,1,5,6)
 
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