Men's Tennis | October 21

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team won all three of its singles final qualifying round matches and earned three doubles wins against seeded opposition on Friday (Oct. 22) at the ITA Midwest Regional at the Atkins Tennis Center. The Huskies will have five competitors in the singles main draw when it begins on Saturday (Oct. 23). 

"Another great day for our kids, these guys played some great ball all day," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We had Mikael (Vollbach), (Christopher) Norlin and Iker (Gaztambide Arrastia) all play outstanding this morning, winning three singles matches to get into the main draw. Great win for Norlin beating (Matthew Halpin of) Notre Dame! 

"Doubles started off with a bang, Knutson and Norlin taking out the number 16 seed from Illinois, followed by Vollbach and Tsai beating number eight Michigan State and then to cap it off Armin and Oliver taking out number seven Northwestern. Two doubles teams advanced to the round of 16, Just tremendous for our young team. Tomorrow is singles we are so excited for the five guys to play against the best!"

NIU went a perfect 3-0 to start the day in the final round of singles qualifying for the main draw. Christopher Norlin scored an impressive, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, victory over Matthew Halpin of Notre Dame. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia also won in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Krzystof Wetoszka of Toledo. Mikael Vollbach meanwhile dropped just two games in a dominant, 6-1, 6-1, win over Toledo's Luis Kleinschnitz. The trio will be joined in the main draw by Oliver Valentinsson and Cheng En Tsai who earned direct entry into the Round of 64. 

In doubles, the Huskies won three of their four Round of 64 matches. Norlin and Christopher Knutson had the highlight of the opening round as they topped 16th-seeded Alex Petrov and Kenta Miyoshi of Illinois, 8-6. Vollbach and En Tsai downed Will Everett and David Alvarez Moreno from Youngstown State, 8-5, while Armin Koschtojan and Valentinsson were victorious against Marquette's Thomas Nelson and Rami Sheetz, 8-2. 

NIU claimed two more wins against seeded opposition in the round of 32 as Koschtojan and Valentinsson outlasted the seventh-seeded duo of Trice Pickens and Natan Spear from Northwestern, 8-7, while Vollbach and En Tsai downed the eighth-seeded pair of Ozan Baris and Max Sheldon by an identical 8-7 scoreline. Both Huskie duos bowed out in the Round of 16 to seeded, Big Ten opposition. 

On Saturday, play resumes beginning at 9 a.m. with the opening round of singles main draw action. 


Qualifying Round of 16 (Final Round) Singles
Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Luis Kleinschnitz (Toledo) 6-1, 6-1
Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) def. Krzystof Wetoszka (Toledo) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Christopher Norlin (NIU) def. Matthew Halpin (Notre Dame) 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3)

Consolation Round Singles
Lars Minsas (Depaul) def. Hsiang Lee (NIU) 6-7, 6-3, 10-6
Matteo Inquinto (DePaul) def. Guy Dagan (NIU) 6-4, 6-3
Armin Koschtojan (NIU) def. Jona Gitschel (DePaul) 6-2, 4-6, 10-8

Round of 64 Doubles
Benjamin George/Jackson Boone (Western Michigan) def. Hsiang Lee/Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) 8-2
Mikael Vollbach/Cheng En Tsai (NIU) def. Will Everett/David Alvarez Moreno (Youngstown State) 8-5
Armin Koschtojan/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Thomas Nelson/Rami Sheetz (Marquette) 8-2
Christopher Norlin/Christopher Knutson (NIU) def. Alex Petrov/Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) 8-6

Round of 32 Doubles
Mikael Vollbach/Cheng En Tsai (NIU) def. Ozan Baris/Max Sheldon (Michigan State) 8-7 (3)
Arjun Honnappa/Anton Arzhankin (Western Michigan) def. Christopher Norlin/Christopher Knutson (NIU) 8-3
Armin Koschtojan/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Trice Pickens/Natan Spear (Northwestern) 8-7 (4)

Round of 16 Doubles
Oliver Okonkwo/Mathis Debru (Illinois) def. Mikael Vollbach/Cheng En Tsai (NIU) 8-2
Sebastian Vile/Robin Parts (Wisconsin) def. Armin Koschtojan/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) 8-6