ORLANDO, Fla. – The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team opened its spring break trip with a 5-1 victory over Bucknell on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, the Huskies improve to 11-5 overall and have won eight of their last 10 matches.

“I was a little unsure how our guys would react from such a poor showing our last time out against Marquette, but our guys were as ready as can be and we did our job” said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. “I am looking forward to see how our guys come out tomorrow against a really good Quinnipiac team.”

The Huskies opened the match by picking up the doubles point with a pair of wins. Sophomores Kevin Daun (Vasteras, Sweden/Widenska Gymnasiet Idrottscollege) and Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) picked up a 6-4 victory over Max Kane and Timber Erskine at number two while sophomores Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) and Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) claimed a 6-3 win over Daniel Wright and Ben Gerber at number three.

In singles play, NIU picked up a trio of straight-set wins at three, five and six, not dropping a single game in the second set of any of those matches. Lundkvist earned a 6-3, 6-0 win over Kane at three, Daun took a 6-2, 6-0 decision over Andrei Vitiuc at five and sophomore Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) was a 6-2, 6-0 winner over Gerber at six.

At number four, Hjertonsson outlasted Bryan Adams, 6-4, 5-7, 10-7 while junior Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) fell in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 10-1, to Nick Bybel. The sixth singles match between Hamel and Wright was called due to rain.

NIU will be back in action on Monday, March 14, when the Huskies face Quinnipiac in Orlando, Fla.

NIU 5, Bucknell 1

Doubles
1. Nick Bybel/Bryan Adams (BU) def. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU), 7-5
2. Kevin Daun/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Max Kane/Timber Erskine (BU), 6-4
3. Louis Phillipe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Daniel Wright/Ben Gerber (BU), 6-3

Singles
1. Nick Bybel (BU) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 3-6, 6-4, 10-1
2. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) vs. Daniel Wright (BU), 7-6, 4-6, 3-3 (unfinished, rain)
3. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Max Kane (BU), 6-3, 6-0
4. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Bryan Adams (BU), 6-4, 5-7, 10-7
5. Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Andrei Vitiuc (BU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Austin Russell (NIU) def. Ben Gerber (BU), 6-2, 6-0