DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team won a trio of three set singles matches as they claimed a 5-2 victory over Youngstown State on Friday (Feb. 17) at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House. NIU improved to 5-3 on the season with the victory. 

"Today was another grinder game and things got tight again for us, but we responded like I knew we would, and we dug in, fought and never quit until we got the job done," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "After letting a couple slip away last weekend and being down on our luck, we talked about flipping the page and looking forward to the next opportunity today we took advantage of that. 

"I'm hopeful this will lead into Sunday when we play North Dakota, they have not lost yet, they are 10-0, so we will have our hands full with them. We can't wait for Sunday."

NIU took the doubles point with a pair of 6-4 victories. The reigning MAC Doubles Team of the Week, Cheng En Tsai and Mikael Vollbach scored a win at number one over Nathan Favier and Laurentiu Mandocescu while Iker Gaztambide Arrastia and Oliver Valentinsson helped the Huskies clinch the first point with a win against Asier Ibanez and Clement Mainguy. 

Four singles matches went to three sets, with NIU claiming three of the four.

At number one, En Tsai took the first set 6-1 over Mandocescu. After dropping the second set in a tiebreak, En Tsai rebounded to take the third, and the match, 6-2. 

Valentinsson at number three and Armin Koschtojan at number four each recorded come from behind, three set triumphs. Valentinsson fell, 7-5, in the first set to Favier before taking the next two sets, 6-1, 6-4. Koschtojan outlasted Will Everett, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. 

Gaztambide Arrastia was a straight-sets winner over Javi Gonzalez Pla at number five, dropping just three games in a 6-2, 6-1 victory. 

NIU will be back in action on Sunday, Feb. 19, when the Huskies host North Dakota at 10 a.m. at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House. 

NIU 5, Youngstown State 2

Singles 
1. Cheng En Tsai (NIU) def. Laurentiu Mandocescu (YSU) 6-1, 6-7, 6-2
2. Clement Mainguy (YSU) def. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Nathan Favier (YSU) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
4. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) def. Will Everett (YSU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) def. Javi Gonzalez Pla (YSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. David Moreno (YSU) def. Christopher Norlin (NIU) 4-6, 7-5, 7-5

Doubles 
1. Cheng En Tsai/Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Nathan Favier/Laurentiu Mandocescu (YSU) 6-4
2. Armin Koschtojan/Christopher Knutson (NIU) vs. Will Everett/Javi Gonzalez Pla (YSU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Asier Ibanez/Clement Mainguy (YSU) 6-4