March 3, 2012

ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Northern Illinois men's tennis team earned its 10th win of the season for a third-straight year when it defeated Southern Illinois and Eastern Illinois, 7-0. The Huskies are 10-3 in 2012 with one more match Sunday (at Wisconsin) to try and improve that record.

"We played with a different attitude today," said Head Coach Patrick Fisher after the match. "After our loss to Cleveland State, we needed to make some adjustments with our attitude and effort and I think today's results showed we made some improvements. One of the things we need to focus on now is following up one good day with two good days, something we have struggled to do. You can't win championships based on only one good day."

The Huskies Saturday against SIU, sweeping the Salukis, 7-0, led by Dor Amir and Axel Lagerlof (8-6) at No. 1 and Maximilian Phillips and Mikhail Titov (8-4) to take the doubles point. Amir opened for the Huskies at No. 1 in singles when he defeated Badr Cherradi, 6-4, 6-3, for his second win of his career at No. 1. Lagerlof dominated at No. 2 with his dominating 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Stanislas Rodier.

Against the Panthers, the results were similar as NIU won at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to take the early point. At No. 6, Maksym Lagutin defeated Volodymyr Zverkovsky, 6-0, 6-4, replacing Titov who won his No. 6 match against the Salukis, 6-4, 6-1. Roman Turtygin saved his best performance for the end of the day with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Matyas Hilgert.

Northern Illinois will return to action tomorrow afternoon in Madison, Wis. to play the Badgers. The match will begin at 3 p.m.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 7, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 0
Boylan Tennis Center
Rockford, Ill.

DOUBLES
1. Amir/Lagerlof (NIU) def. Cherradi/ Rodier (SIU) 8-6
2. Florez/Admiraal (SIU) def. Turtygin/Cadieux (NIU) 8-4
3. Phillips/Titov (NIU) def. Opieczonek/Spahic (SIU) 8-4

SINGLES
1. Dor Amir (NIU) def. Badr Cherradi (SIU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Axel Lagerlof (NIU) def. Stanislas Rodier (SIU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Roman Turtygin (NIU) def. Brandon Florez (SIU) 7-5, 7-6 (10-5)
4. Frederic Cadieux (NIU) def. Martijn Admiraal (SIU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Maximilian Phillips (NIU) def. Orhan Spahic (SIU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Mikhail Titov (NIU) def. Rafael Cuadrillero (SIU) 6-4, 6-1

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
Boylan Tennis Center
Rockford, Ill.

DOUBLES
1. Amir/Lagerlof (NIU) def. Sperry/Hilgert (EIU) 8-5
2. Firth/Constantinescu (EIU) def. Turtygin/Cadieux (NIU) 8-6
3. Phillips/Wei (NIU) def. Race/ Zverkovsky (EIU) 8-6

SINGLES
1. Dor Amir (NIU) def. Michael Sperry (EIU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Axel Lagerlof (NIU) def. Warren Race (EIU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Roman Turtygin (NIU) def. Matyas Hilgert (EIU) 6-1, 6-0
4. Frederic Cadieux (NIU) def. Jamie Firth (EIU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Maximilian Phillips (NIU) def. Dave Constantinescu (EIU) 6-3, 6-1
6. Maksym Lagutin (NIU) def. Volodymyr Zverkovsky (EIU) 6-0, 6-4