DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team will return to the road this weekend as the Huskies travel to St. Louis, Mo., for a single match against Saint Louis University on Friday, Feb. 10. The match against the Billikens is scheduled for 2 p.m.

The Huskies come into Friday's match on a six-match winning streak after sweeping a trio of matches last weekend against Green Bay, Wisconsin-Whitewater and Cardinal Stritch to improve to 6-2 overall. Junior Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) has won six consecutive singles matches and has a 6-2 dual match record, 13-8 overall this season. 

"I still don't think we are playing as good as we can play, but we have been getting better every week," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "Our energy is getting better, we are improving in doubles and winning helps with confidence. I'm excited and pleased with the direction we are headed and we are looking forward to a tough match with Saint Louis. 

"We know that they have a lot of the same guys as last year but I think we are stronger than we were, because we are healthy this year."

Saint Louis comes into the match with a 2-1 record this spring after splitting a pair of matches last weekend, downing Quincy, 7-0, before falling to Oral Roberts, 4-1. David Ferragut earned First Team All-Atlantic 10 honors a season ago after posting a 20-4 overall record; as a team, Saint Louis went 10-7 a season ago. 

Last season, the Huskies edged the Billikens, 4-3, at home in Rockford. NIU earned the doubles points and then had singles wins from Hjertonsson, junior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) and junior Austin Russell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) to claim the one-point victory. 

Next weekend, NIU will return home as the Huskies host Wright State and South Dakota State on Saturday, Feb. 18, in Rockford at Boylan Tennis Center.