DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team dropped a 5-2 decision to Mid-American Conference regular season champion Western Michigan on Saturday afternoon (April 16) at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House. The Broncos improved to 13-8 overall, 9-1 in the conference, with the victory while NIU fell to 11-9 overall, 5-5 in the MAC.

Western Michigan edged the doubles point with a victory in the final of the three matches. Oliver Valentinsson and Kristopher Ortega cruised to a 6-0 win number two against Fynn Lohse and Joaquin Caballer before Anton Arzhankin and Peter Kuszynski finished a 6-4 triumph for the Broncos at number one. 

Ferdinand Schlueter and Brogan Pierce scored a 6-4 victory for Western Michigan at number three to take the opening point for Western Michigan. 

In the singles, Mikael Vollbach won the first match to finish with a 6-4, 6-0 win against Arjun Honnappa at number three. Arzhankin was victorious 7-5, 6-4, at number one for the visitors before Mikko Malinen finished a 6-4, 7-5 win at number four to even the overall contest, 2-2. 

Lohse outlasted Ortega in three sets, 6-1, 6-7, 6-4, at number two, brining the Broncos within a point of the overall win and Caballer scored that victory at Western Michigan with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at number six. 

The Huskies have a final non-conference matchup at Saint Louis on Monday, April 18, before heading to Kalamazoo, Mich., for the MAC Championship beginning on Saturday, April 23. 

Western Michigan 5, NIU 2

Singles 
1. Anton Arzhankin (WMU) def. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) 7-5, 6-4
2. Fynn Lohse (WMU) def. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) 6-1, 6-7, 6-4
3. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Arjun Honnappa (WMU) 6-4, 6-0
4. Mikko Malinen (NIU) def. Benjamin George (WMU) 6-4, 7-5
5. Brogan Pierce (WMU) def. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Joaquin Caballer (WMU) def. Luke VanDonslear (NIU) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles 
1. Anton Arzhankin/Peter Kuszynski (WMU) def. Mikael Vollbach/Mikko Malinen (NIU) 6-4
2. Oliver Valentinsson/Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. Fynn Lohse/Joaquin Caballer (WMU) 6-0
3. Ferdinand Schlueter/Brogan Pierce (WMU) def. Armin Koschtojan/Christopher Knutson (NIU) 6-4