BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Junior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) won his singles match, and the Huskies took the doubles point, but Buffalo took each of the other five singles matches as the Northern Illinois University men's tennis team suffered a 5-2 setback against the Bulls in its Mid-American Conference opener. 

"We got off to another great start winning doubles," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We put ourselves in great position in singles, but we didn't finish. We had multiple opportunities to gain control of the match and we played passive, that will never win championships. Tomorrow will be big we need it."

NIU (11-7, 0-1 MAC) earned the doubles point to take the early lead. Senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley/University of Denver) and Lundkvist claimed a 6-4 victory over Filip Grbic and Hao Sheng Koay at number one while junior Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) and junior Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) were also victorious 6-4, over Ethan Nittolo and Tony Miller at number three. 

In the singles, Lundkvist won his 14th match of the year, his ninth in dual matches, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, over Vidit Vaghela at number two. 

The matches at three and four also went to three set, but Buffalo won both to help clinch the match. Grbic outlasted senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley/University of Denver), 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, at number three and Villhelm Fridell downed Hjertonsson, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. 

The Huskies will be back in action on Sunday, March 19, when they face Binghamton. The Bearcats faced Buffalo on Friday (March 17) and fell, 6-1. 

Buffalo 5, NIU 2

Doubles
1. Eric Marbach/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Filip Grbic/Hao Sheng Koay (UB), 6-4
2. Petr Vodak/Villhelm Fridell (UB) def. Bor Schweiger Muzar/Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-4
3. Tom Hjertonsson/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Ethan Nittolo/Tony Miller (UB), 6-4

Singles
1. Hao Sheng Koay (UB) def. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU), 7-6, 6-4
2. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Vidit Vaghela (UB), 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
3. Filip Grbic (UB) def. Eric Marbach (NIU), 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
4. Villhelm Fridell (UB) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Petr Vodak (UB) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 6-1, 7-5
6. Ethan Nittolo (UB) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 6-2, 6-0