ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team picked up a pair of wins on Friday, knocking off Illinois State, 4-3, and Nebraska Omaha, 7-0, at Boylan Tennis Center as the Huskies improved to 7-3 on the season.

“I'm really proud of our guys,” said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. “This was a great day for us, beating a really good Illinois State team and, as the day went on against Omaha, we just got stronger and played better. With all the injuries we have had to deal with this year, we needed today to give our guys some belief and hopefully push us to the next level.”

In the opening match of the day against the Redbirds, NIU fell behind after doubles play as junior Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) and sophomore Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) picked up the lone doubles win for the Huskies, 7-5, at number one.

NIU stormed back to win the top-four singles matches to claim the win over Illinois State. At number one, Manzanas led Jakub Eisner, 6-2, before Eisner retired. Sophomore Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Rodrigo Oliveria at number three.

At number two, sophomore Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) took the first set from Urh Krajnc Domiter, 6-3, before outlasting Krajnc Domiter in the second set, 7-6.

With Illinois State picking up the points at five and six, sophomore Tom Hjertonsson’s (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) critical three-set victory, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, over Andreas Boers at number four proved to be the difference.

In the second match of the day against Omaha, the Huskies opened by winning the doubles point. At number three, Hjertonsson and Hamel picked up a 6-2 win while Lundkvist and Kevin Daun (Vasteras, Sweden/Widenska Gymnasiet Idrottscollege) were 7-6 winners at number two, clinching the point for NIU.

In singles play, NIU dropped just 15 total games in the top-four matches. Hamel and Lundkvist each dropped just three each, picking up identical 6-1, 6-2 wins over Matt Dunn and Alex Woodward at two and three, respectively. Manzanas earned a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Colin Buckley at number one and Hjertonsson claimed a 6-2, 6-3 win over Marko Minic at number four.

The Huskies finished the sweep of the Mavericks with wins from Daun and Russell at five and six. Daun downed Erik Anderson, 6-1, 7-5, at number five and Russell outlasted John Ellis in a pair of tight sets, 7-5, 7-5, at six.

NIU will return to action on Sunday, Feb. 14, as the Huskies host Cleveland State at 11 a.m. at Boylan Tennis Center in Rockford.


NIU 4, Illinois State 3

Doubles
1. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU) def. Andreas Boers/Rodrigo Oliveria (ISU), 7-5
2. Jakub Eisner/Egehan Sertkaya (ISU) def. Georg Lundkvist/Kevin Daun (NIU), 7-5
3. Christoffer Greve/Dylan Steffens (ISU) def. Tom Hjertonsson/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 6-3

Singles
1. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Jakub Eisner (ISU), 6-2, default
2. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Urh Krajnc Domiter (ISU), 6-3, 7-6
3. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Rodrigo Oliveria (ISU), 6-3, 6-1
4. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Andreas Boers (ISU), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6
5. Christoffer Greve (ISU) def. Kevin Daun (NIU), 6-2, 6-1
6. Dylan Steffens (ISU) def. Austin Russell (NIU), 6-3, 6-2


NIU 7, Omaha 0

Doubles
1. Colin Buckley/Ignace Warson (UNO) def. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU), 6-3
2. Georg Lundkvist/Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Matt Dunn/Alex Woodward (UNO), 7-6
3. Tom Hjertonsson/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Erik Anderson/John Ellis (UNO), 6-2

Singles
1. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Colin Buckley (UNO), 6-2, 6-2
2. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Matt Dunn (UNO), 6-1, 6-2
3. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Alex Woodward (UNO), 6-1, 6-2
4. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Marko Minic (UNO), 6-2, 6-3
5. Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Erik Anderson (UNO), 6-1, 7-5
6. Austin Russell (NIU) def. John Ellis (UNO), 7-5, 7-5