By Erica Gambaccini

Sports Editor

The women’s tennis team finished their season in a 4-3 loss to Northern Illinois in the Mid-American Conference Championships Thursday.

“I thought we were psyched up and we played well,” head coach Penny Dean said. “We played them so much better than we did earlier in the year.”

This loss ends a four-game winning streak and drops the Falcons overall record to 10-11.

“We played doubles first and at one point we were up,” Dean said. “To win the doubles point would have been phenomenal, but then we ended up losing it.”

At the third doubles flight Heidi Romer and Andrea Meister paired up for a close loss to Northern Illinois’ Branka Savic and Kristi McIntyre.

Alyson Gabel and Gaby Coello fell to NIU’s team of Tanya Sukovic and Kerrie Tyioran at the second flight, 8-3.

“The doubles played well,” Dean said.

In the No. 1 doubles match Lisa Maloney and Susie Schoenberger were in a close match with NIU’s Cassie Drake and Erica Heshelman before the match was ended with the Huskies leading, 7-6.

“In singles, No. 2 and 5, Cameron [Benjamin] and Susie lost in straight-sets, but the other four were still playing and Alyson won,” Dean said. “So at that point it was 3-1 them, but I knew we could win the last two matches.”

Schoenberger fell to NIU’s Drake in the second flight, 6-1, 7-5, while Benjamin dropped the fifth flight, 6-0, 6-2.

The Falcons’ lone senior, Gabel, won the only match on the day for BG.

“Alyson played very steady and smart,” Dean said. “She was ahead from the beginning and wore her opponent down by the third set.”

Gabel defeated the Huskies’ Sukovic in straight-sets, 6-4, 6-1, at the third flight.

She ends her career at Bowling Green on a five-game singles winning streak.

“She has won her last five singles matches,” Dean said. “It’s a good way to finish. She has been playing her best college tennis the last part of the season.”

Since this match was part of the MAC Championships, as soon as a winner is determined they advance onto the next round and the other matches are ended, regardless of the score.

The last match that went in the Huskies favor was the No. 1 singles flight where Maloney fell to NIU’s Savic, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

“Lisa’s game was back, which was encouraging,” Dean said. “She has had some trouble since she sprained her ankle.”

BG’s Coello and Romer were forced to quit their matches after Northern Illinois won their fourth point.

“Gaby and Heidi could have come through and won the third set,” Dean said. “Gaby lost to the same girl a few weeks back. She was never much of a threat. In this match, Gaby made up her mind. She knew she could beat this girl. She used her drop shot wisely. I was proud of her. She probably would have won.”

Coello’s was tied 2-2 in the third set at the fourth flight with NIU’s Tyioran after dropping the first set 3-6 and then coming back to win the second set 6-3.

In the sixth flight Romer was losing the third set 5-3. She lost the first set 2-6, but retaliated for a 6-4 win in the second set.