KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team concluded the fall portion of its schedule this weekend at the MAC Invite, hosted by Western Michigan. Sophomore Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) led the Huskies in singles play by finishing second in Flight B.

“We had a few bright spots,” said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. “I thought Louis played really well. Simon (Formont) had a nice win over Western Michigan’s number one player (Jefta Kecic), who is very good. But then we had some other spots where we struggled. I think this weekend we showed that we have a long way to go to have the type of season we want to have. We know where we are at and we have a long ways to go.”

Hamel opened singles play with a three-set, 7-6, 3-6, 10-7, win over Toledo’s Vince Anzalone to advance to the semifinals. He then defeated Western Michigan’s Matej Svjetlicic, 6-1, 7-6, to reach the Flight B final. In the final, Hamel was edged by Matt Hamilton of Western Michigan in three sets, 6-4, 6-7, 10-6.

In Flight C, sophomore Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium), claimed a third-place finish. Hjertonsson played a trio of three-set matches, opening with a 7-6, 4-6, 10-5 win over Frenk Kote of Binghamton. In the semifinals, Hjertonsson lost a tight 6-2, 3-6, 10-6 decision to Daniel Loebel of Western Michigan before rebounding to claim third with a 4-6, 6-3, 13-11 comeback win over Andrew Cahn of Western Michigan.

Sophomores Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) and Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) both rebounding from opening round losses to post a pair of wins in Flight D. Lundkvist bettered Danilo Pejovic of Toledo, 6-2, 6-1 and Stephen Payne of Western Michigan, 6-4, 6-3 while Russell knocked off Payne, 6-2, 7-5 and recorded a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Pejovic.

In doubles action, NIU’s weekend was highlighted by a third-place finish from Hjertonsson and Lundkvist in Flight A. The Huskie pair opened with a 6-2 win over Toledo’s Vince Anzalone and Luka Vitosevic. In the quarterfinals, the Huskies bettered Buffalo’s Akhil Mehta and Tony Miller, 7-5. Hjertonsson and Lundkvist fell in the semifinals to Jimmy Beckwith and Stephen Payne of Western Michigan, 6-3, before bouncing back to take third with a 6-2 win over Jefta Kecic and Matej Svjetlicic of Western Michigan.

NIU will be off for the remainder of the calendar year before returning to action in its first dual meet on Jan. 15, 2016, when the Huskies travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to visit Drake.

NIU Results

Flight A Singles
Simon Formont (NIU) def. Jefta Kecic (WMU), 6-4, 6-4
Amar Hromic (Buffalo) def. Simon Formont (NIU), 6-3, 6-2
Maik Steiner (WMU) def. Simon Formont (NIU), 6-4, 6-3

Flight B Singles
Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Vince Anzalone (Toledo), 7-6 (2), 3-6, 10-7
Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Matej Svjetlicic (WMU), 6-1, 7-6 (0)
Matt Hamilton (WMU) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 6-4, 6-7 (7), 10-6

Flight C Singles
Andrew Cahn (WMU) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-3, 6-2
Conner Andersen (Ball State) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-3, 3-6, 10-1
Noah Andersson (Buffalo) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-3, 6-0
Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Frenk Kote (Binghamton), 7-6 (3), 4-6, 10-5
Daniel Loebel (WMU) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 6-2, 3-6, 10-6
Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Andrew Cahn (WMU), 4-6, 6-3, 13-11

Flight D Singles
Nemanja Guzina (Ball State) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 6-1, 6-3
Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Danilo Pejovic (Toledo), 6-2, 6-1
Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Stephen Payne (WMU), 6-4, 6-3
Sergio Arevalillo (Buffalo) def. Austin Russell (NIU), 7-6 (2), 6-0
Austin Russell (NIU) def. Stephen Payne (WMU), 6-2, 7-5
Austin Russell (NIU) def. Danilo Pejovic (Toledo), 6-4, 6-3

Flight E Singles
Erich Schuette (NIU) def. Serjen Olmedo (Toledo), 1-6, 6-3, 10-4
Nick Schnobel (WMU) def. Erich Schuette (NIU), 6-4, 6-2
Reid Teatsorth (Toledo) def. Erich Schuette (NIU), 7-6 (4), 6-2

Flight A Doubles
Tom Hjertonsson/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Vince Anzalone/Luka Vitosevic (Toledo), 6-2
Tom Hjertonsson/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Akhil Mehta/Tony Miller (Buffalo), 7-5
Jimmy Beckwith/Stephen Payne (WMU) def. Tom Hjertonsson/Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 6-3
Tom Hjertonsson/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Jefta Kecic/Matej Svjetlicic (WMU), 6-2
Jimmy Beckwith/Stephen Payne (WMU) def. Austin Russell/Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-2
Austin Russell/Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Nemanja Guzina/Marko Guzina (Ball State), 6-4
Matt Hamilton/Maik Steiner (WMU) def. Austin Russell/Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-3
Vince Anzalone/Luka Vitosevic (Toledo) def. Austin Russell/Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-4
Conner Andersen/Collin Rigney (Ball State) def. Simon Formont/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 7-5
Simon Formont/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Eliott Hureau/Valentin Bouchet (Binghamton), 6-1
Amar Hromic/Sergio Arevalillo (Buffalo) def. Simon Formont/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 6-1
Simon Formont/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Juan Carranza/Stephen Miller (Toledo), 6-0

Flight B Doubles
Ruben Greiner/Daniel Loebel (WMU) def. Erich Schuette (NIU)/Danilo Pejovic (Toledo), 7-5
Erich Schuette (NIU)/Danilo Pejovic (Toledo) def. Frenk Kote/Inigo Saez (Binghamton), 6-4
Nick Schnobel/Eric Olivarez (WMU) def. Erich Schuette (NIU)/Danilo Pejovic (Toledo), 6-2