Box Score MUNCIE, Ind. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team won the doubles point but Christopher Norlin earned the only singles victory for the Huskies as they fell to Ball State, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon (March 19). NIU closes the weekend with an 11-5 overall record, 3-1 in Mid-American Conference contests. 

"Today we just could not finish, and it cost us," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "We almost gave away doubles and singles was the same story, we did not do a job finishing once we got in good position. Praise to Christopher Norlin, he had a great weekend he played some good ball this weekend. Now it's in the past, we have to make some adjustments and we will. I believe in our guys; we will learn from this and better next time we find ourselves in this situation. We will get better; I love this team."

The Huskies won the doubles point for the 13th time in 16 matches this season. Oliver Valentinsson and Armin Koschtojan scored a 7-5 victory at number two over Vince Orlando and Eli Herran, picking up their fifth win of the year. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia and Christopher Norlin improved to 2-0 as a pair with a 7-6 decision against Parrish Simmons and Jacks Lancaster, securing the opening point for the Huskies. 

Ball State won singles matches at one and four in straight sets and the Cardinals also took three of the four matches that went three sets.

Norlin won the lone singles match for NIU at number six, outlasting , 6-7, 7-6, 7-5. The victory was his eighth singles win of the season. 

The six singles matches featured five sets that went to tiebreakers, with Ball State winning three of the five, including the third set in the match at number three, won by Danilo Kovacevic, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6, for the Cardinals. 

NIU will return home to host Western Michigan next Saturday, March 25, at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House. 

Ball State 5, NIU 2

Singles 
1. Nathaniel Webster (Ball State) def. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) 7-6, 6-4
2. Vince Orlando (Ball State) def. Cheng En Tsai (NIU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
3. Danilo Kovacevic (Ball State) def. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6
4. Eli Herran (Ball State) def. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) 6-0, 6-2
5. Sajin Smith (Ball State) def. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 6-7, 6-4, 6-1
6. Christopher Norlin (NIU) def Jacks Lancaster (Ball State) 6-7, 7-6, 7-5

Doubles 
1. Nathaniel Webster/Danilo Kovacevic (Ball State) def. Cheng En Tsai/Mikael Vollbach (NIU) 6-4
2. Oliver Valentinsson/Armin Koschtojan (NIU) def. Vince Orlando/Eli Herran (Ball State) 7-5
3. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia/Christopher Norlin (NIU) def. Parrish Simmons/Jacks Lancaster (Ball State) 7-6