DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team improved to 10-4 overall, 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play, with a 6-1 victory over Binghamton on Sunday (March 12) at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House. 

"We could not have asked for a better weekend," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We held serve at home, our guys have taken it upon themselves to make sure we got off to a good start and these results show it. Things just get more exciting from here on out, while we had great results this weekend, it's over now, we flip the page and start over, one week at a time, that's where our mindset needs to be."

The Huskies earned the first point of the contest as Cheng En Tsai and Mikael Vollbach earned their ninth doubles win of the season with a 6-4 victory at number one while Armin Koschtojan and Oliver Valentinsson posted their fourth consecutive win, 6-2, at number two. 

Each of the top three matches in the singles order went in favor of NIU to help the Huskie clinch the overall victory. Valentinsson improved to 10-2 in dual matches with his seventh consecutive win, dropping just three games in a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Michael Pawlowicz at number one. 

En Tsai earned his fourth-straight singles win with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over William Morais Binnie at number two and Vollbach scored a 6-2, 6-4 win against Ronin Lotlikar at number three for his ninth victory of the dual match season. 

The Huskies also earned straight sets wins at five and six. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia improved to 10-4 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Zubin Omar at number five. Christopher Norlin meanwhile bettered James McPherson, 6-2, 6-3, to win at number six. 

NIU will head on the road next weekend as the Huskies travel to Toledo on Friday, March 17, and Ball State on Sunday, March 19. 

NIU 6, Binghamton 1

Singles 
1. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Michael Pawlowicz (Binghamton) 6-1, 6-2
2. Cheng En Tsai (NIU) def. William Morais Binnie (Binghamton) 6-3, 6-3
3. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Ronin Lotlikar (Binghamton) 6-2, 6-4
4. Kyle Weekes (Binghamton) def. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 6-4, 7-5
5. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) def. Zubin Omar (Binghamton) 6-2, 6-1
6. Christopher Norlin (NIU) def. James McPherson (Binghamton) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles 
1. Cheng En Tsai/Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. James McPherson/Michael Pawlowicz (Binghamton) 6-4
2. Armin Koschtojan/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Andrew Fang/William Morais Binnie (Binghamton) 6-2
3. Kyle Weekes/Ronin Lotlikar (Binghamton) def. Christopher Norlin/Christopher Knutson (NIU) 6-2