MUNCIE, Ind. – The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team opened Mid-American Conference play with a 4-3 victory over Toledo on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies outlasted the Rockets in a dual that featured five three-set singles matches to move to 13-5 overall, 1-0 in the MAC.

“I thought we dominated today and barely won,” said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. “We were up a set and breaks on five courts in complete control, we let up and it almost cost us. We had better learn how to finish or tomorrow is going to be a long day for us. The thing with tennis is you have to beat the guy by winning the last point, it does not matter how big a lead you have, you have to finish. I’m curious to see how we come out tomorrow because it's going to be another dog fight.”

The Huskies claimed the early lead by taking the doubles points with wins at two and three. Sophomores Kevin Daun (Vasteras, Sweden/Widenska Gymnasiet Idrottscollege) and Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) claimed their 13th dual match win of the season with a 6-2 victory over Juan Carranza and Omar Espinosa at number two. Daun and Lundkvist are now 11-2 playing at number two this spring.

Sophomores Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) and Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) claimed their 11th win over the year at number three, 6-4, over Vince Anzalone and Serjen Olmedo to give the Huskies the doubles point.

In the singles, Lundkvist earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over Olmedo at number three, his 18th win of the season, to give the Huskies their second point of the day.

The other five singles matches all went the distance. At number four, Hjertonsson took the first set, 7-5, from Espinosa before dropping the second, 3-6, before coming back to claim a comfortable third set, 6-1, for his team-best 22nd win of the year. NIU also earned a three-set victory from Daun at number five as he bettered Stephen Miller, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, as the Huskies did just enough to open MAC play with a win.

NIU will be back in action on Sunday, March 20, at 12 p.m. CT, when it meets Ball State. The Cardinals defeated Toledo, 4-3, on Friday and enter tomorrow’s match with a 1-0 conference record.

NIU 4, Toledo 3

Doubles
1. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU) vs. Stjepan Sisko/Stephen Miller (UT), 4-5 unfinished
2. Kevin Daun/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Juan Carranza/Omar Espinosa (UT), 6-2
3. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Vince Anzalone/Serjen Olmedo (UT), 6-4

Singles
1. Stjepan Sisko (UT) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
2. Vince Anzalone (UT) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Serjen Olmedo (UT), 6-2, 6-2
4. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Omar Espinosa (UT), 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
5. Kevin Daun (NIU) def. Stephen Miller (UT), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
6. Danilo Pejovic (UT) def. Austin Russell (NIU), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4