BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team suffered a 6-1 loss setback to Binghamton on Saturday afternoon, eliminating the Huskies from contention for the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Sophomore Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) claimed the lone point for the Huskies as their season comes to a close with a 15-9 overall record (3-4 MAC).

"Unfortunately we were never in the match," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We just didn't show up like I thought we would. We have had a tough time all year capitalizing on momentum, we would break serve, but then give it right back, ever since Western Michigan (on March 25) we have been in a funk and unfortunately now it is over with.

"We didn't create a lot of momentum today and we weren't really able to get ourselves into the match."

Binghamton (13-8, 4-3 MAC) claimed the doubles points with a pair of 6-3 victories at one and two. Sid Hazarika and Ludovico Cestarollo downed junior Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) and sophomore Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) at number one while sophomore Kevin Daun (Vasteras, Sweden/Widenska Gymnasiet Idrottscollege) and Lundkvist fell to Thomas Caputo and Frenk Kote at number two.

After Daun fell to Valentin Bouchet at number five in the first singles match to finish, Lundkvist got the Huskies on the board with a 6-3, 6-3 win at number two for his 22nd win of the year.

NIU was unable to build upon the point from Lundkvist however, as Binghamton swept the final four singles matches. Cestarollo topped sophomore Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) at number three, 6-3, 6-4. Kote knocked off Russell, 6-2, 7-6, at six. Caputo downed sophomore Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) at number four, 6-4, 6-1, and Manzanas was bettered, 7-5, 6-3, by Hazarika at number one.

The MAC Men's Tennis Championship will take place next weekend in DeKalb, Ill. The semifinals are scheduled for 10 a.m., and 2 p.m., on Friday, April 29, with the final set for 1 p.m., on Saturday, April 30.

Binghamton 6, NIU 1

Doubles
1. Sid Hazarika/Ludovico Cestarollo (BU) def. Carlos Manzanas/Austin Russell (NIU), 6-3
2. Thomas Caputo/Frenk Kote (BU) def. Kevin Daun/Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 6-3
3. Eliott Hureau/Josh Druger (BU) led Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 5-4, unfinished

Singles
1. Sid Hazarika (BU) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 7-5, 6-3
2. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Eliott Hureau (BU), 6-3, 6-3
3. Ludovico Cestarollo (BU) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 6-3, 6-4
4. Thomas Caputo (BU) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 6-4, 6-1
5. Valentin Bouchet (BU) def. Kevin Daun (NIU), 6-0, 6-1
6. Frenk Kote (BU) def. Austin Russell (NIU), 6-2, 7-6 (4)