BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team was unable to complete the season sweep of Buffalo as the Huskies fell to the Bulls, 5-2, on Sunday (April 2) at the Miller Tennis Center. With the setback, NIU falls to 12-7 on the season, 4-3 in Mid-American Conference play. 

"Buffalo came ready to play today we knew they would," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "It hurt us to have match points to get the doubles point and not get it. I feel like that set the tone for the rest of match, we were fighting an uphill battle from there on out and we could never really recover. No time feel sorry for ourselves, we need look at ourselves, make adjustments and not let the past affect our future because we have a lot to play for. We're in great position to control our success and I believe in our guys."

The hosts won the doubles match at number two, 6-0, while Christopher Norlin and Iker Gaztambide Arrastia scored a 6-4 win at number three. Buffalo claimed the opening point as Simon Wibler and Finn Macnamara outlasted Cheng En Tsai and Mikael Vollbach, 7-6, at number one. 

In singles, the Bulls took all three matches to finish in straight sets as Aleksandr Kalinin was victorious at number one, Cheng Tang earned a win at number three and Theodoros Mitsakos claimed the point at number five. 

Gaztambide Arrastia won his second singles match of the weekend with a 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 victory over Macnamara at number four. Norlin outlasted Daniils Snaiders in a 10-point third set at number six, 6-4, 2-6, 10-6, while Wibler won in a 10-point third set for Buffalo at number two. 

NIU will return home for a pair of matches next weekend as the Huskies host Toledo and Ball State. The Rockets will visit the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House on Friday, April 7, before NIU takes on Ball State on Sunday, April 9. 

Buffalo 5, NIU 2

Singles
1. Aleksandr Kalinin (UB) def. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Simon Wibler (UB) def. Cheng En Tsai (NIU) 6-1, 6-7, 10-8
3. Cheng Tang (UB) def. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) def. Finn Macnamara (UB) 6-1, 6-7, 6-1
5. Theodoros Mitsakos (UB) def. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Christopher Norlin (NIU) def. Daniils Snaiders (UB) 6-4, 2-6, 10-6

Doubles
1. Simon Wibler/Finn Macnamara (UB) def. Cheng En Tsai/Mikael Vollbach (NIU) 7-6
2. Aleksandr Kalinin/Daniils Snaiders (UB) def. Armin Koschtojan/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) 6-0
3. Christopher Norlin/Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) def. Cheng Tang/Yu-Shiang Huang (UB) 6-4