DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team fought back to win the final two matches to finish as the Huskies topped Buffalo, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon (April 3) at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House to give head coach Patrick Fisher is program record 187th career victory. Five of the six singles matches went three sets as Luke VanDonslear won the final match to finish to give the Huskies the victory. 

"We put some young guys in the lineup, we have a lot this year due to adversity and injuries," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "Our guys down at the bottom (of the lineup) stepped up when they needed to and that was difference in us winning today. Luke (VanDonslear) was able to serve it out when he needed to."

After Buffalo picked up the doubles point, Mikael Vollbach evened the contest with a 6-2, 6-4 win at number four over Daniils Snaiders, in the only singles match to finish in straight sets. 

Finn MacNamara won at number three for Buffalo before Oliver Valentinsson downed Simon Wibler at number two, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, to once again even the overall contest, 2-2. 

The Bulls got within a point of the win as Cheng Tang came from behind at number one to collect a 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory. 

NIU would score wins in each of the final two matches to finish as Armin Koschtojan came from behind at number five for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Yu-Shiang Huang. VanDonslear had a chance to finish his match in straight sets, but fell in a second set tiebreak before bouncing back to win the third set for a 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 win over Greg Hasting, giving the Huskies the 4-3 overall victory. 

With the win, Fisher became the winningest coach in NIU men's tennis history as he earned his 187th career victory, breaking a tie with Carl Neufeld (1980-89). Since taking over the Huskie men's tennis program in 2009, Fisher has guided the Huskies to three MAC Championships and mentored 21 all-conference honorees.

"It's hard to put into words," said Fisher. "You start to run back through all of the things from where you were when you started to what it is now. It's special, it's special for the program. It shows what type of kids we have and is a credit to my family. We have lived, ate, and slept it, my family, we have been part of this NIU community, we have embraced it since we got here in 2009 and we love NIU and that's why we have stayed as long as we have.

"It is a credit to all the support staff and all the players we have had that have worked extremely hard to get us to this level and helped to sustain it. When I came here in 2009, we didn't have facilities, we didn't have budget, we didn't have resources and now, after 13 years, we have a great indoor facility, thanks to Dave and Linda Nelson. We are grateful and gracious and feel like those things happen when you work hard and stay the course."

NIU 4, Buffalo 3

Singles 
1. Cheng Tang (UB) def. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
2. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Simon Wibler (UB) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
3. Finn MacNamara (UB) def. Mikko Malinen (NIU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
4. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Daniils Snaiders (UB) 6-2, 6-4
5. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) def. Yu-Shiang Huang (UB) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
6. Luke VanDonslear (NIU) def. Greg Hasting (UB) 6-4, 6-7, 6-3

Doubles 
1. Cheng Tang/Yu-Shiang Huang (UB) def. Mikael Vollbach/Mikko Malinen (NIU) 6-4
2. Kristopher Ortega/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) vs. Finn MacNamara/Greg Hasting (UB) 4-5, unfinished
3. Simon Wibler/Daniils Snaiders (UB) def. Armin Koschtojan/Luke VanDonslear (NIU) 6-2