CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team split a pair of matches on Saturday, falling at Cleveland State, 4-3, before bouncing back with a 5-2 victory over Case Western Reserve in the second match of the day. With the split, NIU moves to 6-2 overall for the season. 

After falling in the morning match, NIU got off to a positive start in the second match of the day, taking the doubles point against Case Western. Senior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) and sophomore Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) earned a 6-0 win at number two while senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) and freshman Kristopher Ortega (Homer Glen, Ill./Seton Home Study School) claimed a 6-3 win at number one. 

In the singles, Marbach downed James Fojtasek at number one, 6-1, 6-3. Lundkvist won in straight-sets at number four, 6-2, 6-3, over Anthony Kanam and senior Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) also claimed a win in straight-sets, 6-4, 7-6, against Earl Hsieh at number five, to help the Huskies clinch the victory. 

Muzar also earned NIU the singles point at number three with a comeback win, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, over Rob Stroup.

In the opening match against Cleveland State, the Vikings took the doubles point with a 7-6 win at number one. Lundkvist and Muzar were victorious at number two, 6-2, Cleveland State earned a 6-4 win at three and the point went to the Vikings as Benjamin Slade and Mirko Radosevic edged Marbach and Ortega.

The Vikings took the first three singles matches to finish to clinch the win. Cleveland State won at number six where freshman Victor Spolidorio (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) took the first set, 6-1, but was forced to retire in the third. CSU also earned straight-sets wins at four and one. 

Senior Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) topped Radosevic, 6-3, 6-2, at number five. Ortega outlasted Matthew Terry at number two, 4-6, 6-2, 11-9, and Lundkvist took the final match to finish at number three, 7-6, 6-4, over Luke Phillips. 

Next weekend, NIU will return to the road for a pair of matches as they face Green Bay on Saturday, Feb. 10, and Marquette on Sunday, Feb. 11. Both matches are scheduled to be played in Milwaukee. 

Cleveland State 4, NIU 3

Singles 
1. Nico Mostardi (CSU) def. Eric Marbach (NIU), 7-5, 6-1
2. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. Matthew Terry (CSU), 4-6, 6-2, 11-9
3. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Luke Phillips (CSU), 7-6, 6-4
4. Benjamin Slade (CSU) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 6-3, 6-3
5. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Mirko Radosevic (CSU), 6-3, 6-2
6. William Malm (CSU) def. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) 1-6, 6-1, 2-0, retired

Doubles 
1. Benjamin Slade/Mirko Radosevic (CSU) def. Eric Marbach/Kristopher Ortega (NIU), 7-6
2. Bor Schweiger Muzar/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Nico Mostardi/Matthew Terry (CSU), 6-2
3. Luke Phillips/William Malm (CSU) def. Tom Hjertonsson/Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU), 6-4


NIU 5, Case Western Reserve 2

Singles
1. Eric Marbach (NIU) def. James Fojtasek (CWR), 6-1, 6-3
2. Matthew Chen (CWR) def. Kristopher Ortega (NIU), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Rob Stroup (CWR), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Anthony Kanam (CWR), 6-2, 6-3
5. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Earl Hsieh (CWR), 6-4, 7-6
6. Henry Squire (CWR) def. Erich Schuette (NIU), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles
1. Eric Marbach/Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. James Fojtasek/Anthony Kanam (CWR), 6-3
2. Bor Schweiger Muzar/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Matthew Chen/Sam Concannon (CWR), 6-0
3. Neil Mabee/Zach Hennessey (CWR) def. Tom Hjertonsson/Erich Schuette (NIU), 7-6