The UC San Diego women's tennis team, which moved down from No. 20 to No. 21 in the latest Division II national rankings earlier in the day, lost a 6-3 decision to Division I Northern Illinois in non-conference action at UCSD's Northview Tennis Courts on Wednesday.

The visiting Huskies took two of three doubles matches, with sophomore Leigh Roberts and freshman Katie McKee edging Kristi McIntyre and Megan Brooks, 9-8, at No. 3 for the lone Triton point.

NIU went on to win four of the six singles match-ups, led by Cassie Drake at No. 1, who posted a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over junior Jasmin Dao. Sophomore Marissa Hilker and senior Kristina Jansen collected straight-set victories over Ivonne Andrade and McIntyre, 6-4, 7-5, and 6-0, 6-2, at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, for UCSD's points. Karrie Tyioran and Daniela Martinez needed tiebreaker sets to get by sophomore Tara Siddiqui and McKee at No. 3 and No. 6.

The win allowed Northern Illinois to even its record at 4-4, snapping a two-match losing skid, while UCSD falls to 8-4 in dropping its second straight match.

UCSD is now midway through a six-match homestand, and will next host 16th-ranked Hawaii Pacific this Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM at Northview Tennis Courts. The Tritons will then take some time off for final exams before matching up with Division I Cornell and conference foe Sonoma State on March 25-26.

UC SAN DIEGO (8-4) 3
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (4-4) 6

Doubles
#1 Savic/Andrade (NIU) def. Dao/Julie Westerman (UCSD) 8-3
#2 Drake/Tyioran (NIU) def. Siddiqui/Kristin Bronowicki (UCSD) 8-4 #3 Roberts/McKee (UCSD) def. McIntyre/Megan Brooks (NIU) 9-8

Singles
#1 Cassie Drake (NIU) def. Jasmin Dao (UCSD) 6-4, 6-2
#2 Branka Savic (NIU) def. Leigh Roberts (UCSD) 6-1, 6-3
#3 Karrie Tyioran (NIU) def. Tara Siddiqui (UCSD) 7-5, 3-6, (10-4)
#4 Marissa Hilker (UCSD) def. Ivonne Andrade (NIU) 6-4, 7-5
#5 Kristina Jansen (UCSD) def. Kristi McIntyre (NIU) 6-0, 6-2
#6 Daniela Martinez (NIU) def. Katie McKee (UCSD) 6-3, 1-6,