ROCKFORD, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team improved to 5-2 with a 6-1 victory over Western Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Boylan Tennis Center. The Huskies are a perfect 5-0 at home this spring.

“Today was a good day,” said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. “We did what we needed to do. Now we need to get ready for a really good Butler team, a team that has a lot of experience, next weekend”

NIU took the doubles points, dropping just three games in the three matches combined. Senior Frederic Cadieux (Verdun, Quebec, Canada/Ediuard-Montpetit) and freshman Kevin Daun (Vasteras, Sweden/Widenska Gymnasiet Idrottscollege) took the match at number one, 6-2. Freshmen Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) and Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) were victorious at number two, 6-1, and junior Simon Formont (Orléans, France/Lycée Camille Claudel) and freshman Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) were victorious, 6-0, at number three.

The Huskies shuffled their singles lineup against the Leathernecks and came away with victories in five of the six singles matches. Playing at number one for the first time this season, Hjertonsson was a 6-0, 6-2 winner over Chris Bunch.

Hamel moved up to number three and earned a 6-2, 6-1 win over Surya Sawhney. Daun returned to the singles lineup at number four, claiming a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Jacob Sanders.

Moving up from number six last week against Binghamton, sophomore Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) was a 6-1, 6-0 winner over Ross Smith (WIU). Seeing his first action of the spring, freshman Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) was a “double bagel,” 6-0, 6-0 winner over Anthony Timberlake.

The Huskies will return to action next Saturday, Feb. 21, as they travel to Indianapolis, Ind., to face Butler.

NIU 6, Western Illinois 1

Doubles
1. Kevin Daun/Frederic Cadieux (NIU) def. Nikola Pavlovic/Chris Bunch (WIU), 6-2
2. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Ross Smith/Jacob Sanders (WIU), 6-1
3. Simon Formont/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Anthony Timberlake/Surya Sawhney (WIU), 6-0

Singles
1. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Chris Bunch (WIU), 6-0, 6-2
2. Nikola Pavlovic (WIU) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 6-3, 0-6, 10-6
3. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Surya Sawhney (WIU), 6-2, 6-1
4. Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Jacob Sanders (WIU), 6-1, 6-0
5. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Ross Smith (WIU), 6-1, 6-0
6. Austin Russell (NIU) def. Anthony Timberlake (WIU), 6-0, 6-0