February 8, 2003

MEN'S COLLEGE TENNIS---Northern Illinois University at Illinois State University / at Normal, IL / Evergreen Racquet Club / Non-Conference Match / Saturday / February 8, 2003

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 5, ILLINOIS STATE 2

SINGLES
1. Raymond vanWasbeek (NIU) def. Djordje Uskokvic (ISU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Juan Pablo Barriga (NIU) def. Jason Smit (ISU) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (5)
3. Erick Martinez (NIU) def. Marek Blaskovic (ISU) 7-6 (4), 6-4
4. Willy Gali (NIU) def. Ben Cappuccitti (ISU) 6-3, 6-2
5. Ciaran Foley (ISU) def. Aaron Forsberg (NIU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Stephen Guntly (NIU) def. Andy Martin (ISU) 6-3, 6-4

DOUBLES
1. Uskokvic/Pettinari (ISU) def. VanWasbeek/Forsberg (NIU) 9-7 (7)
2. Barriga/Martinez (NIU) def. Smit/Martin (ISU) 8-3
3. Blaskovic/Foley (ISU) def. Guntly/Pickel (NIU) 8-6

RECORDS TO DATE: Northern Illinois now 3-3, Illinois State now 1-1
NEXT HUSKIE MATCH: Sunday, February 9--- NIU vs. Bradley University, DeKalb, IL, 1 p.m.

HUSKIE MEN LOSE THE DOUBLES POINT, BUT FIGHT BACK TO CLAIM A 5-2 VICTORY OVER ILLINOIS STATE
NORMAL, IL--- Despite losing two of three doubles matches to start the match, Northern Illinois University battled back to secure a 5-2 victory over instate rival Illinois State University in men's collegiate tennis action Saturday (Feb. 8). Juan Pablo Barriga (Ario de Rosales Michoacan, Mexico / Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Michoacan) led the charge for the Huskies, winning a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (5) match over ISU number two Jason Smit.

"We got after it from all six singles spots today," Huskie head coach Steven Rodecap explained. "We really took a big step forward. There is quite a little rivalry building up between us, so this was definitely a big win for our program."

Barriga was also one half of the only Huskie doubles tandem to win a match in Normal, IL. Teamed with Erick Martinez (Armargura, Mexico / Preparatoria Abierta) in the number two slot, the pair easily defeated the Redbird tandem of Jason Smit and Andy Martin 8-3. That was the only bright spot for NIU in doubles play, however, as Raymond vanWasbeek (Vaassen, Netherlands / RSG de Springborn) and Aaron Forsberg (Moline) lost a heartbreaking 9-7 (7) contest to Djordje Uskokvic and Benjamin Pettinari before Willy Gali (Barcelona, Spain / Ies Avsias March) and David Pickel (Highland Park) fell 8-6 to Marek Blaskovic and Ciaran Foley in the third spot.

"After we lost that doubles point, I think we rolled up our sleeves and knew we had to fight back," Rodecap noted. "We knew our backs were up against the wall, but we responded well. Our intensity was lot better today than it has been it the past. It was great."

During solo play, the Huskies came flying out of the gate behind vanWasbeek's 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Uskokvic in the primary slot. Barriga's win in the second hole gave the overall lead back to the Huskies, and Martinez took another close match 7-6 (4), 6-4 from Blaskovic in the three spot to give NIU all the team points they would need.

"We played extremely well," the Northern Illinois net boss said. "When singles play rolled around, we some early matches, and that was key. For those matches, we came ready to play, and it showed."

Texas Christian University transfer Gali won his second straight decision as a Huskie, defeating Ben Cappuccitti 6-3, 6-2 in the fourth singles match. The fifth flight was the only place the Redbirds could muster a solo victory, as Foley took a 6-3, 6-2 match from Forsberg. Stephen Guntly (Genoa City, WI / Badger) closed out the scoring by earning NIU's fifth team point with a 6-3, 6-4 conquest of Martin.

Northern Illinois will finally return home after six consecutive road matches to start the spring slate. Bradley University will visit the Campus Recreation Center Sunday (Feb. 9) at 1:00 p.m. to kick off a three-meet homestand that will keep the Huskies in DeKalb, IL, until the first week of March.

---Copy by Brian Kedzior -30-