Feb. 13, 2005

Hinsdale, Ill.- Following a series of close matches in a 5-2 win over Valparaiso on Friday night, the UIC men's tennis team continued to live on the edge but came up on the other end as Northern Illinois took three of four three-set matches to earn a 6-1 win at the Hinsdale Racquet Club on Saturday night.

Freshman Eric Fey kept his string of strong singles play intact with an impressive 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 comeback win over Adam Ford at the fifth spot.

But the Flames weren't as lucky in the three other marathon matches on the night. Ivan Kovalev fell in a 7-6, 5-7, 6-3 roller coaster to Willy Gali at the No. 1 spot, while Paul Glendenning and Sean Kreymborg also came up just short after clinching the first sets in their respective matches.

UIC (5-4) fell just short on the doubles side as all three matches were close.

Northern Illinois improved to 4-3 with the win.

UIC gets back to work next Saturday against IUPUI at the Hinsdale Racquet Club at 8 p.m.

Northern Illinois 6, UIC 1
SINGLES1. Willy Gali (NIU) def. Ivan Kovalev (UIC) 7-6, 5-7, 6-32. Erick Martinez (NIU) def. Karol Zarucki (UIC) 6-2, 6-33. Mark Tate (NIU) def. Andy Lockhart (UIC) 6-3, 6-04. Alex Friesen (NIU) def. Paul Glendenning (UIC) 3-6, 6-3, 6-45. Eric Fey (UIC) def. Adam Ford (NIU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-26. Diego Zegarra-Ballon (NIU) def. Sean Kreymborg (UIC) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
DOUBLES1. Friesen/Gali (NIU) def. Kovalev/Lockhart (UIC) 8-42. Martinez/Tate (NIU) def. Glendenning/Zarucki (UIC) 8-53. Zegarra-Ballon/Ford (NIU) def. Fey/Kreymborg (UIC) 8-4