MASON, Ohio. –  Northern Kentucky University Norse Women's Tennis opened its fall 2025 season at Lindner Family Tennis Center this weekend, taking on Dayton, Ball State, and Xavier at the Xavier Invite. 
 
The Norse took on all three sides in both doubles and singles play in a two-day round robin held on Saturday and Sunday. Four Norse earned singles victories, while a new doubles pair grabbed a doubles victory.

The 2025-26 Norse roster features five newcomers and four returners, with all nine players seeing action over the weekend. Senior returner Alyssa Cameron went 2-0 with a pair of singles victories against Dayton and Ball State. Junior returner Darya Gneidina picked up a two-set singles win over Dayton, while newcomer Sydney Zakic also won a singles match against the Flyers. 

In doubles play, newcomers Aaditi Bhat & Sydney Zakic were the only duo to pick up a win, taking down a Dayton duo. 

MATCH BREAKDOWN

Singles competition
NKU vs. Xavier
Madeleine Rexroat (XU) def. Sydney Zakic (NKU) 6-1, 6-4
Abigail Siminski (XU) def. Aaditi Bhat (NKU) 6-3, 6-0
Natalie Smitek (XU) def. Haley Slay (NKU) 6-2, 6-0
Ella DeFord (XU) def. Cassia Adamowsky (NKU) 6-1, 6-0
Sofia Mazzucato (XU) def. Caroline VanDer Riet (NKU) 6-1, 6-3
Ellie Brotherton (XU) def. Didi Steenhuis (NKU) 6-1, 6-0

NKU vs. Dayton
Darya Gneidina (NKU) def. Kristen Chin (UD) 6-2, 6-4
Sydney Zakic (NKU) def. Montserrat Sierra (UD) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (7-5) 
Alyssa Cameron (NKU) def. Baby Jordan (UD) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8)
Mallory Hitchcock (UD) def. Catharina Cardoso (NKU) 6-4, 6-4
Haley Klein (UD) def. Cassia Adamowsky (NKU) 6-3, 6-1
Grace Murphy (UD) def. Caroline VanDer Riet (NKU) 6-2, 6-3

NKU vs. Ball State
Isabel Tanjuatco (BSU) def. Darya Gneidina (NKU) 7-5, 6-1
Alana Bristow (BSU) def. Sydney Zakic (NKU) 6-4, 6-3
Alyssa Cameron (NKU) def. Gabriella Barrera (BSU) 6-4, 6-0
Asia Ting Fontana (BSU) def. Aaditi Bhat (NKU) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (9-7)
J. Williams-Phillips (BSU) def. Haley Slay (NKU) 6-3, 6-4
Anya Tkachyk (BSU) def. Catharina Cardoso (NKU) 7-5, 6-3

Doubles competition
NKU vs. Ball State
Isabel Tanjuatco/Sarah Shahbaz (BSU) def. Alyssa Cameron/Aaditi Bhat (NKU) 6-0
Gabriella Barrera/Alana Bristow (BSU) def. Darya Gneidina/Sydney Zakic (NKU) 6-1
Anya Tkachyk/Asia Ting Fontana (BSU) def. Catharina Cardoso/Haley Slay (NKU) 6-3
J. Williams-Phillips/Noa Kosman (BSU) def. Didi Steenhuis/Caroline VanDer Riet (NKU) 6-1

NKU vs. Xavier
Madeleine Rexroat/Ella DeFord (XU) def. Haley Slay/Aaditi Bhat (NKU) 6-3
Natalie Smitek/Ellie Brotherton (XU) def. Didi Steenhuis/Catharina Cardoso (NKU) 6-3
Abigail Siminski/Sofia Mazzucato (XU) def. Caroline VanDer Riet/Cassia Adamowsky (NKU) 6-3

NKU vs. Dayton
Baby Jordan/Mallory Hitchcock (UD) def. Darya Gneidina/Alyssa Cameron (NKU) 6-4
Aaditi Bhat/Sydney Zakic (NKU) def. Kristen Chin/Montserrat Sierra (UD) 6-4
Grace Murphy/Haley Klein (UD) def. Haley Slay/Cassia Adamowsky (NKU) 6-2

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