KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team fell at Western Michigan, 6-1, on Friday afternoon in its Mid-American Conference road opener. With the setback, the Huskies are now 12-6 overall, 2-1 in conference play. 

"It was obviously not the result we wanted, Western (Michigan) played more aggressive than us and that was the difference," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We have to attack and dictate if we're going to beat a team like (Western Michigan). We didn't do it, so this is our result."

NIU and Western Michigan (14-4, 3-0 MAC) split the opening two doubles matches, with the Broncos winning at number three and the Huskies getting a victory from sophomore Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) and senior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) at number one. Muzar and Lundkvist topped Jannik Opitz and Kennosuke Nouchi, 6-4, as the doubles point came down to the match at number two. 

The Broncos clinched the point with a 6-4 win at number two. 

In singles, nationally-ranked Maik Steiner claimed the first point for Western Michigan with a win at number one. 

Muzar captured the next match to finish for the Huskies as he defeated Eric Olivarez, 6-4, 6-4, at number five to even the singles. 

Kennosuke Nouchi earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Lundkvist at number three while Lenhard Haupt clinched the match for Western Michigan as he defeated Lundkvist, 6-2, 7-6, at number four. The Broncos were also victorious at two and six to finish the contest.  

NIU will return home on Saturday, March 31, when the Huskies host Ball State. 

Western Michigan 6, NIU 1

Singles
1. Maik Steiner (WMU) def. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) 6-0, 6-2
2. Jannik Opitz (WMU) def. Eric Marbach (NIU) 7-6, 6-3
3. Kennosuke Nouchi (WMU) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Lenhard Haupt (WMU) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) 6-2, 7-6
5. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Eric Olivarez (WMU) 6-4, 6-4
6. Matej Svjetlicic (WMU) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) 6-4, 7-6

Doubles
1. Bor Schweiger Muzar/Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Jannik Opitz/Kennosuke Nouchi (WMU) 6-4
2. Lenhard Haupt/Maik Steiner (WMU) def. Eric Marbach/Kristopher Ortega (NIU) 6-4
3. Nick Schnobel/Eric Olivarez (WMU) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) 6-2