DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team earned a pair of shutout victories over Cardinal Stritch on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 15) at Chick Evans Field House. The Huskies won the first dual, 7-0, over the Wolves before taking the second, 4-0. 

"We played great all day, it was great to see us bounce back after last time out," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We worked really hard the last two weeks and it showed today. I'm excited for tomorrow, it will be another great challenge. We look forward to playing on campus again."

The Huskies opened with a 7-0 clean sweep in the first match, which began with a pair of 6-4 doubles wins over senior Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) and sophomore David Pata (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita) as well as freshman Mikael Vollbach (Finland) and senior Shao-Yu Yu (Taipei, Taiwan/Jiang Guo High School). 

Six singles wins followed as Pata, Muzar and junior Victor Spolidorio (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) scored wins in straight sets. Pata was a 6-4, 6-3 winner at number one, Muzar earned a 6-3, 7-6 victory at number two and Spolidorio scored a 6-2, 6-3 victory at number five. 

At number three, sophomore Mikko Malinen (Malmo, Sweden) outlasted Mike Delebois, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, while Yu and Vollbach each won 10-point third sets to win their respective matches. 

In the second match of the day, Vollbach and Yu were 6-2 winners at third doubles while Malinen and Spolidorio scored a 6-3 victory at number one to give the Huskies the doubles point. 

The bottom three singles matches were played first, with Spolidorio winning in straight sets at number five, 7-6, 6-4, and Vollbach taking a 7-6, 6-0 win at number six. Yu completed a comeback at number four, winning 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. The matches at one, two and three were not contested. 

NIU will return to action at Chick Evans Field House on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 16) as the Huskies host Eastern Illinois. 

NIU 7, Cardinal Stritch 0

Singles
1. David Pata (NIU) def. Niccolo Rossi (CS), 6-4, 6-3
2. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Nicola Wehrle (CS), 6-3, 7-6
3. Mikko Malinen (NIU) def. Mike Delebois (CS), 7-5, 4-6, 7-5
4. Shao-Yu Yu (NIU) def. Javier Apellaniz (CS), 6-2, 4-6, 11-9
5. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) def. Alejandro Martinez (CS), 6-2, 6-3
6. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Danail Banov (CS), 4-6, 7-6, 10-8

Doubles
1. Mikko Malinen/Victor Spolidorio (NIU) led. Niccolo Rossi/Nicola Wehrle (CS), 5-4
2. Bor Schweiger Muzar/David Pata (NIU) def. Javier Apellaniz/Alejandro Martinez (CS), 6-4
3. Mikael Vollbach/Shao-Yu Yu (NIU) def. Danail Banov/Danilo Pejovic (CS), 6-4


NIU 4, Cardinal Stritch 0

Singles
1. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) vs. Niccolo Rossi (CS), did not play
2. David Pata (NIU) vs. Javier Apellaniz (CS), did not play
3. Mikko Malinen (NIU) vs. Nicola Wehrle (CS), did not play
4. Shao-Yu Yu (NIU) def. Mike Delebois (CS), 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) def. Danail Banov (CS), 7-6, 6-4
6. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Francesco Tacconi (CS), 7-6, 6-0

Doubles
1. Mikko Malinen/Victor Spolidorio (NIU) def. Javier Apellaniz/Mike Delebois (CS), 6-3
2. Bor Schweiger Muzar/David Pata (NIU) vs. Niccolo Rossi/Nicola Wehrle (CS), unfinished
3. Mikael Vollbach/Shao-Yu Yu (NIU) def. Nicolas Palacio/Danilo Pejovic (CS), 6-2