ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team swept a pair of matches against SIU Edwardsville and Western Illinois on Saturday, winning both matches 7-0 at Boylan Tennis Center as the Huskies improved to 10-4 on the season.

“After letting last night’s opportunity to beat Butler slip through our hands, our guys were determined to play aggressive, attack and never let up,” said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. “We did that and our results today show it, so I could not be happier for our guys. Now we get some time to work on the areas we need to improve the most.”

In the first match of the day, NIU earned a pair of 6-3 doubles match wins to take the first point against SIU Edwardsville. Sophomores Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) and Kevin Daun (Vasteras, Sweden/Widenska Gymnasiet Idrottscollege) defeated Jack Desse and Matthew Hutchinson at number two while sophomores Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) and Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) bettered Dan Lineberry and Nico Kuehn at number three.

In singles action, the Huskies swept all 12 sets to win the six matches. Lundkvist dropped just two games in a 6-1, 6-1 win over Kuehn at number four. Hamel at number two and Daun at five claimed identical, 6-3, 6-2 victories. At number six, sophomore Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) earned a 6-0, 6-4 win over Lineberry.

Junior Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) and Hjertonsson each grinded out opening set wins to pick up victories in straight-sets. Manzanas was a 7-6, 6-0, winner over Hutchinson at number one while Hjertonsson downed Patrick Gaffigan, 7-5, 6-4, at number three.

In the second match of the day against Western Illinois, the Huskies dropped just two games in sweeping all three doubles matches.

NIU then dominated the singles action, winning all six matches, 6-0, 6-0. Manzanas, Lundkvist, Hjertonsson, Daun and Russell each collected their second singles wins of the day while freshman Erich Schuette (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) joined the NIU lineup to claim a win at number six.

After playing 13 consecutive home matches, the Huskies will return to the road on Wednesday, March 2, as the Huskies travel to Milwaukee, Wis., to meet Marquette.

NIU 7, SIU Edwardsville 0

Doubles
1. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU) vs. Tristan Houle/Patrick Gaffigan (SIUE), 3-3 unfinished
2. Georg Lundkvist/Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Jack Desse/Matthew Hutchinson (SIUE), 6-3
3. Tom Hjertonsson/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Dan Lineberry/Nico Kuehn (SIUE), 6-3

Singles
1. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Matthew Hutchinson (SIUE), 7-6, 6-0
2. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Tristan Houle (SIUE), 6-3, 6-2
3. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Patrick Gaffigan (SIUE), 7-5, 6-4
4. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Nico Kuehn (SIUE), 6-1, 6-1
5. Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Dan Lineberry (SIUE), 6-3, 6-2
6. Austin Russell (NIU) def. Jack Desse (SIUE), 6-0, 6-4


NIU 7, Western Illinois 0

Doubles
1. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU) def. Surya Sawhney/Jacob Sanders (WIU), 6-1
2. Georg Lundkvist/Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Ross Smith/Nolan Jones (WIU), 6-0
3. Tom Hjertonsson/Erich Schuette (NIU) def. Kerry Nozum/Brady Smith (WIU), 6-1

Singles
1. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Surya Sawhney (WIU), 6-0, 6-0
2. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Ross Smith (WIU), 6-0, 6-0
3. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Jacob Sanders (WIU), 6-0, 6-0
4. Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Nolan Jones (WIU), 6-0, 6-0
5. Austin Russell (NIU) def. Kerry Nozum (WIU), 6-0, 6-0
6. Erich Schuette (NIU) def. Christopher Nozum (WIU), 6-0, 6-0