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Men’s tennis remains unbeaten in MAC play with 6-1 win over defending champs Ball State

April 8, 2012
Maksym Bartiuk

Maksym Bartiuk

The Northern Illinois men’s tennis team improved to 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play Saturday when it defeated the defending MAC Champions Ball State, sweeping singles play, and claiming victory, 6-1.

“After we lost the doubles point, we found ourselves in a couple of holes. We could’ve just lost the match but our guys really battled and got a huge conference win,” said head coach Patrick Fisher. “The fact that we won four matches in three sets was big for us as well.”

During doubles, the Huskies fell at Nos. 1 and 2 to drop the point but the pair of Maksym Bartiuk and Roman Turtygin at No. 3 won their match, 8-2, over Austin Smith and Austin Sanson.

Huskies Bartiuk and Turtygin at No. 5 and No. 2, respectively, lost their first sets, but would go on to win their next two sets to record triumphs. Bartiuk won, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6, while Turtygin won with a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 score. Dor Amir defeated the Cardinals reigning MAC Player of the Week, Dalton Albertin at No. 1, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5). Albertin defeated Notre Dame’s No. 1 last week to earn the honor.

Northern Illinois improves to 18-5 and 2-0 in the Mid-American Conference with three more matches remaining in 2012. NIU will return to action Sunday afternoon for a contest against Marquette in Milwaukee, Wis. The Huskies will then host a pair of conference matches next weekend against Toledo (April 14) and Buffalo (April 15).

For more information on NIU men’s tennis and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.