Men's Tennis | April 20

TOLEDO, Ohio - The second-seeded Northern Illinois University men's tennis team came up short against third seed, and host, Toledo, 4-0, in Saturday's Mid-American Conference Tournament Semifinals at the Shadow Valley Tennis Club.
 
"Our team deserves a lot of credit for an overall great season," NIU head coach René Vidal said. "Every one of us had to manage change and adversity in a way that worked for us rather than against us. That's the beauty of tennis and being a true team."
 
Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (Pamplona, Spain) and Christopher Norlin (Stockholm, Sweden) were victorious, 6-4, at No. 3 doubles to open the match. The Rockets won the other two doubles matches, however, to take the opening point.
 
The Huskies were unable to win a singles match as the Rockets sealed three points to clinch the dual. Toledo won in straight sets at No. 1 and No. 5 before Hanamichi Carvajal completed a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, victory at No. 3 to lead the Rockets into Sunday's championship match.
 
Mikael Vollbach (Rothis, Austria) was leading 3-1 in the third set at No. 2 singles when the dual was called. He had bounced back after dropping the first set 6-4, before winning the second set by the same score.
 
Saul Berdullas (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) was tied 1-1 in the third set after taking the second set 6-4 to extend the match after losing set one 7-5. Norlin won set one, 6-3, and was in a second set tiebreak when the match was called.
 
"It's a disappointing loss," Vidal said. "The guys fought hard, but we didn't execute at the highest level, which is what it takes to win these kinds of matches."
 
NIU finishes the season with an 18-6 overall record, including a 7-3 mark in league matches. Toledo advances to take on top-seeded Western Michigan in Sunday's final.
 
 
MAC Championship Semifinals
No.3 Toledo 4, No.2 NIU 0
 
Singles
1. Pawit Sornlaksup (UT) def. Cheng En Tsai (NIU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) vs. Marko Galic (UT) 6-4, 4-6, 1-3 incomplete 
3. Hanamichi Carvajal (UT) def. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (NIU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
4. Saul Berdullas (NIU) vs. Adam Kovac (UT) 5-7, 6-4, 1-1 incomplete
5. Poonthong Komolpisut (UT) def. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Christopher Norlin (NIU) vs. Matias Olivero (UT) 3-6, 6-6 (3-1) incomplete 
 
Order Finish: 1-5-3-2-4-6
 
Doubles
1. Pawit Sornlaksup/Marko Galic (TOL) def. Cheng En Tsai/Mikael Vollbach (NIU) 7-6
2. Hanamachi Carvajal/Poonthong Komolpisut (TOL) def. Saul Berdullas/Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 6-3
3. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia/Christopher Norlin (NIU) def. Adam Kovac/Charlie Snow (TOL) 6-4
 
Order of finish: 3,2,1