MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Four singles wins, including the deciding match from Mikael Vollbach, helped the Northern Illinois University men's tennis team improve to 6-0, its best start since the 1988-89 season, with a 4-3 victory over Marquette on Thursday night (Feb. 18). The victory over the Golden Eagles is the first for the Huskies since 2013. 

"This was a great match against a good Marquette team and all the credit to my guys they earned it," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We've worked so hard and it's been about not taking anything for granted, we're week-by-week and they fight like it's the last week they will ever play. It's winning these close ones that validates all the hard work we have put in."

After Marquette took the doubles points, Victor Spolidorio pulled the Huskies level with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Nikola Kijac at number four singles. Bor Schweiger Muzar then completed a 6-4, 6-0 win against Luis Heredia Gomez at number one to give NIU a 2-1 lead. 

NIU pulled within a point of the victory when Oliver Valentinsson finished off a 6-1, 6-4 win against Tin Krstulovic playing at number five. Marquette then scored victories at number three and number two to even the overall contest at 3-3. 

The final match to finish at number six came down to a third set as Mikael Vollbach claimed set one over Ian Brady 6-3, but Brady responded to take the second set, 7-5. In the third, Vollbach outlasted Brady, 6-4, giving the Huskies their sixth consecutive win to begin the season. 

NIU will return to action on Saturday, February 20, when the Huskies travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on Drake at 5 p.m. 

NIU 4, Marquette 3

Singles
1. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Luis Heredia Gomez (Marquette) 6-4, 6-0
2. Fran San Andres (Marquette) def. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Stefan Dragovic (Marquette) def. Mikko Malinen (NIU) 6-4, 7-6
4. Victor Spolidorio (NIU) def. Nikola Kijac (Marquette) 6-1, 6-2
5. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Tin Krstulovic (Marquette) 6-1, 6-4
6. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Ian Brady (Marquette) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4

Doubles
1. Luis Heredia Gomez/Fran San Andres (Marquette) def. Mikko Malinen/Victor Spolidorio (NIU) 6-2
2. Mikael Vollbach/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) led Stefan Dragovic/Ian Brady (Marquette) 5-4, unfinished
3. Shaddy Khalafallah/Rami Scheetz (Marquette) def. Kristopher Ortega/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) 6-3