A pair of victories over Cardinal Stritch on Sunday (Feb. 6) helped the Northern Illinois University men's tennis team improve to 6-0 on the season. The Huskies opened the day with a 6-1 victory over the Wolves before winning the nightcap, 4-2.
"My goal today as a coach was to create pressure," said NIU head coach Patrick Fisher. "To put guys in positions to play under pressure and that is exactly what we got. We were able to expose some weaknesses that we need to improve on, none of us agree we are where we want to be, so we all need to keep improving. Our freshmen had too many up and down moments, but they don't learn unless we put them in position to experience it. I'm excited for next week."
The visitors won the doubles point in the opening match of the day before the hosts bounced back by winning each of the six singles matches.
Oliver Valentinsson dropped just three games in winning his match at number three, 6-1, 6-2 over Mike Delebois. Mikael Vollbach scored a 6-2, 6-3 win at number four while Kristopher Ortega, Mikko Malinen and Armin Koschtojan also won in straight sets. At number six, Jacob Krefting battled back from losing the first set to Hugo Munoz Reinoso to capture a 3-6, 6-3, 10-4 win.
In the second match, Malinen and Vollbach scored a win at number one while Christopher Knutson and Koschtojan were victorious at number three to take the doubles point.
Koschtojan carried his doubles momentum over into a comfortable, 6-2, 6-2, win over Adrian Gomez at number four. Ortega topped Delebois, 6-4, 6-2 at number one and Vollbach came from behind to earn a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win against Daniel Vishnick to clinch the victory for the Huskies.
NIU will return to action with a pair of road matches next weekend. The Huskies will visit Xavier on Friday, Feb. 11, before traveling to Dayton to meet the Flyers on Sunday, Feb. 13.
NIU 6, Cardinal Stritch 1
Singles
1. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. Daniel Vishnick (CS) 7-6, 6-4
2. Mikko Malinen (NIU) def. Andrin Zuellig (CS) 6-3, 6-4
3. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) def. Mike Delebois (CS) 6-1, 6-2
4. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Danail Banov (CS) 6-2, 6-3
5. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) def. Alejandro Martinez (CS) 6-2, 6-4
6. Jacob Krefting (NIU) def. Hugo Munoz Reinoso (CS) 3-6, 6-3, 10-4
Doubles
1. Daniel Vishnick/Jasper Schaadt (CS) def. Mikko Malinen/Mikael Vollbach (NIU) 7-5
2. Oliver Valentinsson/Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. Mike Delebois/Adrian Gomez (CS) 7-5
3. Sam Kaplan/Andrin Zuellig (CS) def. Jacob Krefting/Armin Koschtojan (NIU) 6-4
NIU 4, Cardinal Stritch 2
Singles
1. Kristopher Ortega (NIU) def. Mike Delebois (CS) 6-4, 6-2
2. Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Daniel Vishnick (CS) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
3. Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) vs. Andrin Zuellig (CS) 5-7, 1-0, unfinished
4. Armin Koschtojan (NIU) def. Adrian Gomez (CS) 6-2, 6-2
5. Sam Kaplan (CS) def. Jacob Krefting (NIU) 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
6. Danail Banov (CS) def. Christopher Knutson (NIU) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
1. Mikko Malinen/Mikael Vollbach (NIU) def. Mike Delebois/Hugo Munoz Reinoso (CS) 6-3
2. Daniel Vishnick/Jasper Schaadt (CS) def. Kristopher Ortega/Oliver Valentinsson (NIU) 6-3
3. Christopher Knutson/Armin Koschtojan (NIU) def. Alejandro Martinez/Danail Banov (CS) 6-2
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