NORMAL, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team wrapped up its three-match weekend with a 5-2 victory over Illinois State as the Huskies improved to 10-4 on the season. 

"Today we did what we should have done yesterday and closed out doubles," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "That helped get us going and we won five first sets and never looked back. This is another important week, starting with Butler on Friday, they are really good this year probably the best they have been since I have been at NIU, so we are going to have be ready."

The Huskies took the doubles point to take the early 1-0 lead. Senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley/University of Denver) and junior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) took the match at number one, 6-2. Junior Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) and junior Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) closed out the point with a 6-3 victory at number two. 

In singles play, Lundkvist was a 6-2 winner in the first set over Dylan Steffens at number two before closing out the match with a 7-5 second set. Senior Carlos Manzanas (Madrid, Spain/IES Principe Felipe) and Hamel took the first set in their matches at four and five, respectively. Manzanas closed out Egehan Sertkaya at number four, 6-4, in the second set and Hamel topped Matias Chomali, 6-1, in the second set to earn the victory at number five. 

At number six, junior Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) outlasted Peter Foersom in the first set, 7-6, before taking the match in straight sets with a 6-3 win of set number two. The Redbirds won the matches at one and three but it wasn't enough as the Huskies closed the weekend with their 10th win of the season. 

Next weekend, the Huskies will travel to Indianapolis for a pair of matches. NIU will visit Butler on Friday, March 3, and IUPUI on Saturday, March 4. 

NIU 5, Illinois State 2

Doubles
1. Eric Marbach/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Urh Krajnc Domiter/Andreas Boers (ILS) 6-2
2. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Egehan Sertkaya/Dylan Steffens (ILS) 6-3
3. Matias Chomali/Peter Foersom (ILS) def. Bor Schweiger Muzar/Carlos Manzanas (NIU) 6-3

Singles
1. Urh Krajnc Domiter (ILS) def. Eric Marbach (NIU) 3-6, 7-5, 10-5
2. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Dylan Steffens (ILS) 6-2, 7-5
3. Andreas Boers (ILS) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) 6-2, 7-5
4. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) def. Egehan Sertkaya (ILS) 6-3, 6-4
5. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Matias Chomali (ILS) 6-3, 6-1
6. Austin Russell (NIU) def. Peter Foersom (ILS) 7-6, 6-3