DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team completed a perfect 3-0 weekend on Saturday as the Huskies earned a 6-1 victory at Omaha. With the win, NIU improves to 3-2 on the season. 

"This match was a lot closer than the final score," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We knew UNO was coming off a Big Ten win over Nebraska last week and they came out with a ton of energy and our guys matched it. 

"After yesterday's performance, I challenged our team to step up and play with more positive energy and enthusiasm; we played a complete match start-to-finish, I'm proud of how these guys responded today. We have a lot to work on, but we're headed in the right direction and we're looking forward to next week."

NIU took the doubles point to take the 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Juniors Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) and Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) claimed a 6-2 win at number three to give the Huskies the edge in doubles while senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley/University of Denver) and junior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) clinched the point with a 6-3 victory at number one.

In singles play, senior Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) was the first to finish, earning a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Alex Woodward at number five. Hjertonsson then put the Huskies one point away from the victory as he earned a 6-4, 6-3 win over Colin Buckley at number four. 

After Omaha earned its first point with a victory at number one, Hamel clinched the dual for the Huskies with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Joni Heizlsperger at number six. With the dual already clinched, Marbach claimed a 6-4, 5-7, 10-6 win at number two and freshman Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) was a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 winner at number three. 

NIU will play at home for the first time this season next weekend as the Huskies host Green Bay on Friday, Feb. 3, as well as Wisconsin-Whitewater and Cardinal Stritch on Saturday, Feb. 4. All three matches will take place at Boylan Tennis Center in Rockford.

NIU 6, Omaha 1

Singles
1. Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
2. Eric Marbach (NIU) def. Matt Dunn (OMAHA) 6-4, 5-7, 10-6
3. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Nathan Reekie (OMAHA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Colin Buckley (OMAHA) 6-4, 6-3
5. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 6-1, 6-0
6. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Joni Heizlsperger (OMAHA) 4-6, 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
1. Eric Marbach/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Razvan Grigorescu/Colin Buckley (OMAHA) 6-3
2. Nathan Reekie/Matt Dunn (OMAHA) vs. Carlos Manzanas/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Tom Hjertonsson/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Alex Woodward/Joni Heizlsperger (OMAHA) 6-2