ROCKFORD, Ill – For the third consecutive match, the Northern Illinois University men's tennis team rallied from behind after dropping the doubles point as the Huskies claimed a 5-2 victory over Toledo on Friday afternoon at Boylan Tennis Center. With the win, NIU improved to 15-6 overall, 5-1 in Mid-American Conference play.

"Our struggles were still our struggles, but in singles at one, two and three I thought we played great, and Tommy (Hjertonsson) at six," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "All of our seniors won again, our seniors are really playing at a high level. They are doing a great job, they are leading by example and I am pleased with that."

Toledo took the doubles point to take the early lead. The Rockets took the first match to finish at number three, 6-3, before senior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) and sophomore Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) claimed a 7-6 win over Vince Anzalone and Thawin Suksathaporn at number two, leveling the doubles. Toledo clinched the point when Luka Vitosevic and Danilo Vukotic finished off a 7-5 victory at number one to take the point.

In the singles, senior Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win at number six over Nikola Arsic, giving the Huskies the first singles point to finish. NIU then moved in front as freshman Kristopher Ortega (Homer Glen, Ill./Seton Home Study School) topped Anzalone at number one, 6-2, 6-1.

Senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) brought the Huskies within a point of the victory as he finished off a 6-3, 6-2 victory at number two over Vitosevic. Senior Louis-Philippe Hamel (Drummondville, Quebec, Canada) then clinched the match for NIU as he earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over Vukotic at number three.

With the result already decided, the final two matches went to a third-set super tiebreaker. Toledo won the match at number five while Lundkvist outlasted Serjen Olmedo, 6-7, 6-4, 12-10, at number four.

NIU will finish the regular season next Friday, April 20, as the Huskies host Buffalo.

NIU 5, Toledo 2

Singles
1. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. Vince Anzalone (UT) 6-2, 6-1
2. Eric Marbach (NIU) def. Luka Vitosevic (UT) 6-3, 6-2
3. Louis-Philippe Hamel (NIU) def. Danilo Vukotic (UT) 6-3, 6-4
4. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) def. Serjen Olmedo (UT) 6-7, 6-4, 12-10
5. Reid Teatsorth (UT) def. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) 4-6, 7-6, 10-5
6. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Nikola Arsic (UT) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Luka Vitosevic/Danilo Vukotic (UT) def. Eric Marbach/Kristopher Ortega (NIU) 7-5
2. Georg Lundkvist/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Vince Anzalone/Thawin Suksathaporn (UT) 7-6
3. Serjen Olmedo/Juan Carranza (UT) def. Louis-Philippe Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) 6-3