March 29, 2008

Box Score

Northern Illinois 7, Southern Illinois 0

Rockford, Illinois - The Northern Illinois men's tennis team had their four-match winning streak snapped last weekend at the hands of DePaul, but the Huskies got back on the winning track with a 7-0 non-conference whitewash over Southern Illinois at the Clock Tower Racquet Club on Saturday afternoon.

"We competed really well," NIU head men's tennis coach Pontus Hiort said. "I was very pleased with the tough, gritty tennis that we played."

With the victory, NIU improves to 7-4 on the season, while the Salukis fall to 7-7 on the campaign.

NIU's No. 2 doubles tandem of Alex Friesen (Vancouver, British Columbia/Burnaby Central) and Jimmy Chu (Lima, Peru/San Augustin) won their 11^th straight match and remain undefeated this spring with an 8-6 win over SIU's Mariano Restrepo and Sebastian Rubiano.

"Jimmy and Alex have played well all year," Hiort said. "They always compete and do the small things very well in order to be successful."

Friesen also extended his winning streak to eight in singles play with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Hugo Vidal at No. 2 singles, while Chu upended Anton Leonenko, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 at No. 4 singles.

NIU junior Brian Livingston (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) extended his winning streak at No. 1 singles to nine matches with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 come-from-behind victory over Lucas Waked, while pairing up with Adam Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) to claim the 8-0 win over Waked and Leonenko at No. 1 doubles. Ford would later upend Restrepo, 2-6, 6-0, 7-5 at No. 3 singles.

Freshman Matt Hansen (Topeka, Kan./Miami Online (FL)) wrapped up the winning for the Huskies with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Rubiano at No. 5 singles.

NIU opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday, April 5, as the Huskies welcome Buffalo to the Gullikson Tennis Courts for a 1 p.m. (CST) first serve.

Men's Tennis

Northern Illinois 7, Southern Illinois 0

March 29 * Rockford, Illinois

Clock Tower Racquet Club

Singles:
No. 1 - Brian Livingston (NIU) def. Lucas Waked (SIU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3

No. 2 - Alex Friesen (NIU) def. Hugo Vidal (SIU) 6-2, 7-5

No. 3 - Adam Ford (NIU) def. Mariano Restrepo (SIU) 2-6, 6-0, 7-5

No. 4 - Jimmy Chu (NIU) def. Anton Leonenko (SIU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2

No. 5 - Matt Hansen (NIU) def. Sebastian Rubiano (SIU) 7-5, 6-3

No. 6 - Javier Bernabe (NIU) def. Chase Miller (SIU), by default

Doubles:

No. 1 - Brian Livingston/Adam Ford (NIU) def. Lucas Waked/Anton Leonenko (SIU) 8-0

No. 2 - Jimmy Chu/Alex Friesen (NIU) def. Mariano Restrepo/Sebastian Rubiano (SIU) 8-6

No. 3 - Alfonso Monroy/Matt Hansen (NIU) def. Chase Miller/Hugo Vidal (SIU), by default

##NIU##