DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team earned its fourth consecutive victory, and remained perfect at home, as the Huskies defeated UIC, 4-3, on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 22) at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House. NIU improved to 7-3 overall with the win, including 6-0 at home this season. 

"We got the job done today but we need to be more ruthless," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "Once we got four points, we stopped playing until the end. That's the next level for us, to focus and execute at a high level over the duration of however long the game lasts, there are seven points in a match we want a mindset of getting every single point we can get. With that being said, we have 10 days before the next opportunity, and we will work harder to be ready. Nashville here we come."

NIU continued its impressive run in doubles competition as the Huskies won both doubles matches that finished. Oliver Valentinsson and Iker Gaztambide Arrastia won their fourth consecutive match with a 6-1 win over Ammar Wazir and Aleksa Bucan at number three. Mikael Vollbach and Cheng En Tsai earned their seventh-straight win at number one, topping Jai Vallurupalli and Miroslav Cvjetan, 6-3. 

At number three singles, Valentinsson dropped just four games in a 6-0, 6-4 win over Vallurupalli for his third consecutive victory. Vollbach improved to 6-1 this season with his 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Pelle Strandberg at number two. 

The Huskies clinched the match at number five as Gaztambide Arrastia scored a 6-2, 6-1 win against Gustavo Schwebel for his team-best seventh win of the season. 

Up next for NIU will be a trip to Nashville, Tenn., where the Huskies will face Lipscomb on Friday, March 3, and Tennessee State on Saturday, March 4. 

NIU 4, UIC 3

Singles 
1. Aleksa Bucan (UIC) def. Cheng En Tsai (NIU) 6-4, 7-6
2. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Pelle Strandberg (UIC) 6-4, 6-3
3. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Jai Vallurupalli (UIC) 6-0, 6-4
4. Miroslav Cvjetan (UIC) def. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) def. Gustavo Schwebel (UIC) 6-2, 6-1
6. Luiz Dos Santos (UIC) def. Guy Dagan (NIU) 4-6, 6-3, 10-8

Doubles 
1. Mikael Vollbach/Cheng En Tsai (NIU) def. Jai Vallurupalli/Miroslav Cvjetan (UIC) 6-3
2. Christopher Knutson/Armin Koschtojan (NIU) vs. Gustavo Schwebel/Pelle Strandberg (UIC) 3-5, unfinished
3. Oliver Valentinsson/Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) def. Ammar Wazir/Aleksa Bucan (UIC) 6-1