SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The No. 11-ranked Northeastern State women's tennis team won its first match at the 2016 MIAA Championship Friday morning inside Cooper Tennis Complex.
 
The top-seeded RiverHawks (18-2) knocked off No. 8 seed Washburn (8-13) 5-1 to advance to Saturday's semifinal. NSU will face either No. 4 Northwest Missouri State or No. 5 Central Oklahoma at noon April 30.
 
The victory over the Ichabods featured a pair of doubles triumphs followed by three quick singles decisions.
 
Junior Valeriia Efimenko and sophomore Daria Panferova teamed up on the second court to get past Gwen Shepler and Maggie Plum 8-1. WU briefly tied the match when Laura Shkembi and MaKenna Gonzales defeated sophomore Easton Parker and true freshman Karla Tomaic 8-3 from the third position.
 
The top tandem of senior Patricia Husakova and sophomore Molly Worden won the final four games to claim a 9-7 win over Jodie Blackim and Ally Burr.
 
Husakova, the nation's No. 12-ranked singles player, quickly wrapped up her match over Shkembi 6-0, 6-0 to earn the first decision in singles play. Efimenko provided the fourth point of the day when she took down Plum 6-1, 6-2 on the third court, and Panferova clinched the victory after taking down Blackim 6-4, 6-3 from the second flight.
 
The other three singles matches went unfinished.
 
Tennis Match Results
Apr 29, 2016 at Springfield, Mo.
(Cooper Tennis Complex)
 
#11 Northeastern State 5, Washburn 1
 
Singles Competition
1. #12 Patricia Husakova (NSU) def. Laura Shkembi (WU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Daria Panferova (NSU) def. Jodie Blackim (WU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Maggie Plum (WU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Molly Worden (NSU) vs. Jennifer Krause (WU) 5-0, unfinished
5. Easton Parker (NSU) vs. Holly Johnston (WU) 2-1, unfinished
6. Karla Tomaic (NSU) vs. Gwen Shepler (WU) 1-2, unfinished
 
Doubles Competition
1. Patricia Husakova/Molly Worden (NSU) def. Jodie Blackim/Ally Burr (WU) 9-7
2. Valeriia Efimenko/Daria Panferova (NSU) def. Gwen Shepler/Maggie Plum (WU) 8-1
3. Laura Shkembi/MaKenna Gonzales (WU) def. Easton Parker/Karla Tomaic (NSU) 8-3
 
Match Notes
Washburn 8-13
Northeastern State 18-2; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,3,2)
 
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