It was almost a perfect ending for the NIU men’s tennis team’s long season.

The tennis team joined the men’s basketball team and the soccer team as Mid-Continent Conference champions in the 1990-1991 season. Also, team captain Erik Andersch was voted the league’s most valuable player. The Huskies also boast four All-Conference members.

Andersch finished his career with 98 wins, just seven shy of the all-time record. The only disappointment of the year, Andersch said, was not being able to beat a Big Ten school. “Losing 5-4 to Purdue and Illinois was my only disappointment of the year,” he said.

Second-year coach Charles Merzbacher said Andersch was “the building block” for his future teams.

Andersch, who was 28-7, is the only senior Merzbacher is losing this year. Mats Persson, a two-time All M-C player, will bring his 26-13 mark back to NIU next year.

And every team member from this year’s 19-8 squad will have gained another year’s experience. Steve Senter, whose potential Merzbacher labeled limitless, made big strides in the last three weeks after moving up to the No. 3 spot after playing No. 5 and No. 6 throughout the year. He became a first-year all-conference member. Although he lost his No. 3 debut against Illinois-Chicago’s Mike Koenigsberger in a third set tie-breaker, Senter showed his competitiveness by playing a solid doubles match with Andersch.

Senter and Andersch beat a tough UIC duo 6-3, 6-3. “This is Erik’s last year,” Senter said after the match. “I didn’t want to drag him down with me just because I lost my singles match.”

Dustin Dobrin, the fourth NIU all-conference member, finished the year strong with five wins in a row and a 22-17 record. Paul Gill had a fine season after a two-year layoff from college tennis. David Settelmyer filled in nicely at No. 6 singles and was consistently the first player off the court (because he won so quickly) during the meets.

These five may be hard pressed to keep their spots come August, 1991. Glenbard West High School’s Marty Engel comes in next fall expecting to play in the top three spot. Ohio’s Matt Green and Wisconsin’s Eric Gonzaga will also challenge the incumbents of the lower three spots.