ORLANDO, Fla. – Playing its second match in as many days, the Northern Illinois University men's tennis team dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to Youngstown State on Sunday afternoon at the USTA National Tennis Center. Five of the six singles matches went to three sets as the Penguins topped the Huskies. 

NIU (8-7) took the doubles point to claim an early lead. After the Huskies dropped the match at number one, 6-2, junior Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) and freshman David Pata (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita) earned a 6-4 win at number two to even the doubles. 

In the match at number three, seniors Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) and Erich Schuette (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) outlasted Yossi Dahan and Pol Virgili Blanco, 7-6, to give the Huskies the point. 

Youngstown State's Luke Purser won the only two-set singles match, 7-5, 7-6, over freshman Mikko Malinen (Malmo, Sweden) at number four. Muzar was a 7-6, 4-6, 10-6 winner over Joao Garretto at number three and Pata came back from losing the first set to win, 5-7, 6-4, 1-8, against Vasilis Vardakis at number two.

The Penguins won the other three matches that went the distance however, including a 14-12 final set win by Danylo Veremeichuk at number one, as Youngstown State improved to 5-4 this season. 

NIU will be back in action on Saturday, March 16, when the Huskies open Mid-American Conference play in Muncie, Ind., against Western Michigan. 

Youngstown State 4, NIU 3

Singles
1. Danylo Veremeichuk (YSU) def. Eric Marbach (NIU) 6-4, 1-6, 14-12
2. David Pata (NIU) def. Vasilis Vardakis (YSU) 5-7, 6-4, 10-8
3. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Joao Garretto (YSU) 7-6, 4-6, 10-6
4. Luke Purser (YSU) def. Mikko Malinen (NIU) 7-5, 7-6
5. Yossi Dahan (YSU) def. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) 3-6, 7-6, 10-5
6. Erik Gran (YSU) def. Shao-Yu Yu (NIU) 7-5, 4-6, 10-7

Doubles
1. Danylo Veremeichuk/Joao Garretto (YSU) def. Mikko Malinen/Victor Spolidorio (NIU) 6-2
2. David Pata/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Luke Purser/Vasilis Vardakis (YSU) 6-4
3. Eric Marbach/Erich Schuette (NIU) def. Yossi Dahan/Pol Virgili Blanco (YSU) 7-6