ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis picked up two more victories on Friday at Boylan Tennis Center to finish the weekend with a perfect 4-0 mark. NIU claimed a 4-3 victory while also downing Saint Louis, 7-0, to improve to 5-1 overall on the season. 

"We have played a lot of tennis the past two days and we have improved, but I think we have so much more potential and growth," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "I'm happy for these eight guys, they have worked so hard and it's showed with our early season success. We're looking forward to next weekend in Cleveland."

In the match against Omaha, the Huskies took the doubles point with victories at number two and three. Seniors Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) and Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) earned a 6-2 win at number three while senior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) and sophomore Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) were victorious, 7-6, at number two to clinch the point. 

Freshmen Victor Spolidorio (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) and Kristopher Ortega (Homer Glen, Ill./Seton Home Study School) as well as Hamel claimed the first three singles matches to finish to clinch the victory for NIU. Spolidorio defeated Luke Moorhead at number six, 6-1, 6-1, Hamel downed Alex Woodward 6-3, 6-1 at number five and Ortega clinched the victory for the Huskies with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Nathan Reekie at number three. 

NIU recorded a clean sweep over Saint Louis in its second match of the day. 

Hamel and Hjertonsson took the first doubles match to finish, 6-1, at number three. Senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) and Ortega then clinched the point for the Huskies with a 6-3 victory at number one before Lundkvist and Muzar outlasted John Nogalski and Justin Nogalski, 7-6, at number two to sweep the doubles. 

In singles play, Ortega was the first to finish, dropping just one game at number two in a 6-1, 6-0 win over John Nogalski. Marbach topped David Ferragut, 6-3, 6-1, at number one and Spolidorio clinched the overall victory for NIU with a Justin Nogalski, 6-3, 7-5. 

Hjertonsson won a 6-4, 6-3 decision against Kenji Yanaba at number five while Lundkvist outlasted Juan Calero in three sets, 7-6, 5-7, 10-2, and Hamel also won in five sets at number four, 5-7, 7-6, 10-3, over Oscar Pachon. 

NIU will return to action next Saturday, Feb. 3, when the Huskies travel to Cleveland, Ohio, to meet Cleveland State and Case Western. 

NIU 4, Omaha 3

Singles
1. Razvan Grigorescu (Omaha) def. Eric Marbach (NIU), 6-4, 6-2
2. Abdoul Ouattara (Omaha) def. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. Nathan Reekie (Omaha), 6-1, 6-3
4. Matt Dunn (Omaha) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 2-6, 7-5, 10-7
5. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Alex Woodward (Omaha), 6-3, 6-1
6. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) def. Luke Moorhead (Omaha), 6-1, 6-1

Doubles
1. Razvan Grigorescu/Abdoul Ouattara (Omaha) def. Eric Marbach/Kristopher Ortega (NIU), 6-4
2. Georg Lundkvist/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Nathan Reekie/Alex Woodward (Omaha), 7-6
3. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Matt Dunn/Luke Moorhead (Omaha), 6-2

NIU 7, Saint Louis 0

Singles
1. Eric Marbach (NIU) def. David Ferragut (SLU), 6-3, 6-1
2. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. John Nogalski (SLU), 6-1, 6-0
3. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Juan Calero (SLU), 7-6, 5-7, 10-2
4. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Oscar Pachon (SLU), 5-7, 7-6, 10-3
5. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Kenji Yanaba (SLU), 6-4, 6-3
6. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) def. Justin Nogalski (SLU), 6-3, 7-5

Doubles
1. Eric Marbach/Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. David Ferragut/Juan Calero (SLU), 6-3
2. John Nogalski/Justin Nogalski (SLU) def. Georg Lundkvist/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU), 7-6
3. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Oscar Pachon/Kenji Yanaba (SLU), 6-1