MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team concluded its first weekend of league play with a 5-2 setback against Ball State on Sunday afternoon. With the defeat, the Huskies fall to 8-9 overall, 0-2 in Mid-American Conference play. 

Ball State (9-8, 1-1 MAC) took the doubles point with wins by Marko and Nemanja Guzina at number one as well as Chris Adams and Conner Andersen at number three. Freshman David Pata (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita) and junior Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) earned a victory at number two, 7-5, but it wasn't enough to earn the point. 

In singles, the Cardinals took the first two matches to finish at number two and six. Senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) then got the Huskies on the board as he scored a 7-5, 7-5 win over Nemanja Guzina at number one. 

Each of the final three matches to finish went three sets, with Muzar claiming a 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 win over Thibault De Negri at number three, but Ball State took the matches at four and five as the Cardinals took the 5-2 victory. 

The Huskies will be back in action on Thursday, March 21, when they host Binghamton in Rockford, Ill. 


Ball State 5, NIU 2

Singles
1. Eric Marbach (NIU) def. Nemanja Guzina (BSU) 7-5, 7-5
2. Marko Guzina (BSU) def. David Pata (NIU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Thibault De Negri (BSU) 7-6, 6-7, 7-6
4. Chris Adams (BSU) def. Mikko Malinen (NIU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Conner Andersen (BSU) def. Shao-Yu Yu (NIU) 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-2
6. Tom Carney (BSU) def. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) 6-3, 7-5

Doubles 
1. Marko Guzina/Nemanja Guzina (BSU) def. Victor Spolidorio/Mikko Malinen (NIU) 6-2
2. David Pata/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Tom Carney/Thibault De Negri (BSU) 7-5
3. Chris Adams/Conner Andersen (BSU) def. Eric Marbach/Erich Schuette (NIU) 6-4