Feb. 23, 2013

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Northern Illinois men’s tennis team split Saturday at Boylan Tennis Center when it defeated Western Illinois, 7-0, and lost a tightly contested match with Green Bay, 4-1. The Huskies are now 7-3 this season, while WIU is 7-9 and the Phoenix are 7-1.

“It was a high low kind of a day for us. We won both of our doubles’ points which was awesome,” said Head Coach Patrick Fisher. “We were in a position to beat a very good Green Bay team, but we didn't because we did not finish and close out sets or matches when we were in position to do those things. We know where we have to improve and over the last two weeks we did that, but it was not enough for us today unfortunately.”

Northern Illinois made a clean sweep over Western Illinois, winning all nine of its matches against the Leathernecks. Dor Amir returned to the No. 1 position in the lineup versus WIU and was the lone Huskie to play three sets in the match, defeating Brad Holt, 6-2, 6-7, 10-6. At No. 6 Jovan Zeljkovic dominated in his match as he won every game over Brandon Meeker, 6-0, 6-0.

Following his 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 3 over Western Illinois, Frederic Cadieux extended his undefeated winning streak to nine matches. The streak would end there however, as Cadieux fell versus Green Bay’s Cox, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Amir and Zeljkovic at Nos. 1 and 6, respectively, both finished with the lead in their matches against the Phoenix but the contests went unfinished as Green Bay had sealed their victory.

Northern Illinois will return to the road next weekend when it takes on Butler and IUPUI March 3 and 4 in Indianapolis, Ind. and Milwaukee, Wis., respectively.

Northern Illinois 7, Western Illinois 0
Boylan Tennis Center
Rockford, Ill.

DOUBLES:
1. Amir/Cadieux (NIU) def. Holt/Granger (WIU) 8-4
2. Lagerlof/Formont (NIU) def. Yue/Bunch (WIU) 8-6
3. Zeljkovic/Lagutin (NIU) def. Cederkall/Meeker (WIU) 8-4

SINGLES
1. Dor Amir (NIU) def. Brad Holt (WIU) 6-2, 6-7, 10-6
2. Axel Lagerlof (NIU) def. Ben Yue (WIU) 6-2, 2-1 (ret.)
3. Fred Cadieux (NIU) def. Mitch Granger (WIU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Simon Formont (NIU) def. Max Cederkall (WIU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Maksym Lagutin (NIU) def. Chris Bunch (WIU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Jovan Zeljkovic (NIU) def. Brandon Meeker (WIU) 6-0, 6-0

Green Bay 4, Northern Illinois 1
Boylan Tennis Center
Rockford, Ill.

DOUBLES:
1. Amir/Lagerlof (NIU) vs. Finkenbrink/Cox (UWGB) 7-5
2. Lagutin/Formont (NIU) def. Tenzer/Isaaks (UWGB) 8-4
3. Cadieux/Zeljkovic (NIU) def. Tehon/Scott (UWGB) 8-6

SINGLES
1. Dor Amir (NIU) vs. Michael Tenzer (UWGB) 7-6, 3-6
2. Erik Finkenbrink (UWGB) def. Axel Lagerlof (NIU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
3. Craig Cox (UWGB) def. Frederic Cadieux (NIU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
4. Leopold Gomez Islinger (UWGB) def. Simon Formont (NIU) 7-6, 6-2
5. Joey Leto (UWGB) def. Maksym Lagutin (NIU) 6-0, 6-3
6. Jovan Zeljkovic (NIU) vs. Howard Scott (UWGB) 7-5, 6-5