BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Five singles victories helped the Northern Illinois University men's tennis team to a 5-2 victory over Binghamton on Sunday morning (March 1) in its Mid-American Conference opener at the Binghamton Tennis Center. 

NIU (6-4, 1-0 MAC) recorded wins in all five singles matches contested, with two come from behind, three-set victories, to open conference play with a win.

"Today was about finding a way against a good Binghamton team," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "Our team has been ravaged by sickness and injury like nothing I've ever seen in my 17 years of coaching. We haven't had a chance to really practice the last two weeks because of sickness and injury, but this team has character and they just never give up or quit no matter the situation. I'm really proud of these guys today!"

Binghamton (4-8, 0-2 MAC) won the first doubles match to finish at Kushaan Nath and Alejandro Pena scored a 6-2 win at number one. With NIU having just five players available, the Huskies were forced to forfeit the match at number three, so the Bearcats claimed the doubles point. 

In Singles, sophomore David Pata (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita) claimed a comfortable, 6-1, 6-2 win over Nath at number two, while sophomore Mikko Malinen (Malmo, Sweden) scored a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Pena at three. At fifth singles, junior Victor Spolidorio (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) was a 7-6, 6-3 winner over Dan Pergel.

With the match at number six forfeited, the dual came down to the final two matches where Binghamton had won the first set in each match. The Huskies came from behind in both matches however as senior Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) topped Michael Pawlowicz earned a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 win at number one and senior Shao-Yu Yu (Taipei, Taiwan/Jiang Guo High School) beat Dylan Friedman at four, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4. 

The Huskies will return to action on Friday, March 6, when they face DePaul in Chicago at Lakeshore Sport and Fitness.

NIU 5, Binghamton 2

Singles
1. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Michael Pawlowicz (Binghamton), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6
2. David Pata (NIU) def. Kushaan Nath (Binghamton), 6-1, 6-2
3. Mikko Malinen (NIU) def. Alejandro Pena (Binghamton), 6-2, 6-1
4. Shao-Yu Yu (NIU) def. Dylan Friedman (Binghamton), 5-7, 7-6, 6-4
5. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) def. Dan Pergel (Binghamton), 7-6, 6-3
6. Adi Ben Ari (Binghamton) wins by default

Doubles
1. Kushaan Nath/Alejandro Pena (Binghamton) def. Mikko Malinen/Victor Spolidorio (NIU), 6-2
2. Bor Schweiger Muzar/David Pata (NIU) led Dylan Friedman/Dan Pergel (Binghamton), 5-2
3. Binghamton wins by default