CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team fell, 4-3, on Saturday at Southern Illinois. The Salukis won a pair of three-set singles matches that proved to be the difference as the Huskies fell to 12-4 on the season, seeing their four-match win streak come to a close.

"This was an extremely disappointing loss for us today," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We didn't come ready to play and we really struggled in doubles. We had match points to win the match but we didn't deserve to win today.

"I hold myself accountable for not having our guys ready. With such a young team you can't take anything for granted and this was the result we earned today. We have to let this one go and move on to Illinois State tomorrow."

Southern Illinois swept the doubles matches to take the first point. The Salukis won 6-3 at both one and two while Daniel Martinez and Ransom Braaten edged junior Simon Formont (Orléans, France/Lycée Camille Claudel) and freshman Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium), 7-5, at number three.

In singles play, the Huskies swept the bottom three matches in the lineup. Freshman Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) won his 11th dual match win, 6-2, 6-1, over Martinez at number four. Sophomore Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) knocked off Szymon Opieczonek at number five, 6-2, 6-4, and freshman Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) was a 6-4, 6-3 winner at number six over Peter Molloy.

SIU won at number two as the match came down to a pair of three-set matches at one and three. At number three, Alex Pozo clipped Hjertonsson, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3. The match at number one came down to the final game as SIU's Jonny Rigby outlasted senior Frederic Cadieux (Verdun, Quebec, Canada/Ediuard-Montpetit), 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, to give the Salukis the victory.

NIU will return to action on Sunday, March 22, as the Huskies visit Illinois State. The match at ISU is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Southern Illinois 4, NIU 3

Doubles
1. Michal Kianicka/Alex Pozo (SIU) def. Kevin Daun/Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 6-3
2. Jonny Rigby/Szymon Opieczonek (SIU) def. Frederic Cadieux/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 6-3
3. Daniel Martinez/Ransom Braaten (SIU) def. Simon Formont/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 7-5

Singles
1. Jonny Rigby (SIU) def. Frederic Cadieux (NIU), 7-6, 3-6, 7-6
2. Michal Kianicka (SIU) def. Simon Formont (NIU), 6-1, 6-3
3. Alex Pozo (SIU) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 6-7, 6-4, 6-3
4. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Daniel Martinez (SIU), 6-2, 6-1
5. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Szymon Opieczonek (SIU), 6-2, 6-4
6. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Peter Molloy (SIU), 6-4, 6-3