MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Sophomore Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) recorded his 19th win of the season but the Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team fell at Marquette, 6-1, on Tuesday night.

“Other than Tom winning in straight sets, I'm really surprised with the effort we put out there today as a team,” said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. “I take the blame, I didn't have our team ready to play and we paid the price for it. Marquette was more excited to play than us today, our guys were content with that, hence the result we earned tonight.”

The Golden Eagles took the first point of the night with doubles wins at two and three. Mackenzie Stearns and Nick Dykema claimed a 6-3 win over sophomores Kevin Daun (Vasteras, Sweden/Widenska Gymnasiet Idrottscollege) and Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) at number two while Greg Anderson and Kristiyan Trukov topped Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) and Hjertonsson at number three.

In the singles, Hjertonsson downed Stearns, 6-1, 6-3 at number four. Lundkvist took the first set off of Dykema at number three, before falling 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Another tight match went to the Golden Eagles at number five where Trukov edged sophomore Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South), 7-6, 7-6. Daun also played a tight first set at number six before falling to Anderson, 7-5, 6-2, at number six.

NIU will return to action on Saturday, March 13, when it begins its spring break trip with a match against Bucknell in Orlando, Fla.

Marquette 6, NIU 1

Doubles
1. Daniel Fernandez/Alvaro Verdu (MU) vs. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU) unfinished
2. Mackenzie Stearns/Nick Dykema (MU) def. Kevin Daun/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) 6-3
3. Greg Anderson/Kristiyan Trukov (MU) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) 6-1

Singles
1. Daniel Fernandez (MU) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Alvaro Verdu (MU) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) 6-4, 7-5
3. Nick Dykema (MU) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
4. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Mackenzie Stearns (MU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Kristiyan Trukov (MU) def. Austin Russell (NIU) 7-6, 7-6
6. Greg Anderson (MU) def. Kevin Daun (NIU) 7-5, 6-2