ORLANDO, Florida – The men’s tennis team went 0-2 in weekend matches after a two week break for competition.

In their first meet since a Feb. 24 5-2 win over Green Bay, the Men’s Tennis team fell Saturday to Valparaiso 2-5.

The men’s tennis team dropped their second consecutive match in Orlando Sunday against Youngstown State.

The Huskies lost a close 3-4 matchup. The matches were played close as five out of the six singles matches were decided in a third set.

Saturday: 2-5 loss to Valparaiso

First-years Mikko Malinen and Victor Spolidorio lost the first doubles match when they were defeated by first-year Kweisi Kenyatte and sophomore Brandon Ancona 6-2.

After dropping the first doubles match the Huskies responded with strong performances in the next two to give NIU and early 1-0 by securing the doubles point

First-year David Pata and junior Bor Schweiger Muzar took a 6-3 victory over junior Chad Kissell and sophomore Brian Pecyna.

Seniors Eric Marbach and Erich Schuette took a 6-3 victory over sophomores Gabriel Carvajal and Franklin Brozovich, giving the Huskies the early 1-0 lead.

Marbach continued his success by winning his singles match against Kissell  6-2, 6-3. He would stand as the lone singles victor for NIU.

Valparaiso won four of their fives singles matches in two sets. Ancona won 6-4, 6-4 over Muzar,  Kenyatte won 6-4, 6-3 over Pata, sophomore Daniel Langston won over junior Shao-Yu Yu 7-5, 6-2, and Carvajal won over Spolidorio 6-4, 7-6.

Malinen was able to push the Valparaiso to a third set but lost to Pecyna  3-6, 7-6, 10-6.The Crusaders walked away with the 2-5 victory over the Huskies

Sunday: 3-4 loss to Youngstown State

First-years Mikko Malinen and Victor Spolidorio lost the opening couples match for the Huskies 6-2 against junior Jaoa Garretto and sophomore Danylo Veremeichuk.

Junior Bor Schweiger Muzar and first-year David Pata put the Huskies back on track winning their doubles match 6-4 against senior Luke Purser and first-year Vasilis Vardakis.

In the decisive doubles match, seniors Eric Marbach and Erich Schuette grinded out a close 7-6 win over senior Yossi Dahan and first-year Pol Virgili Blanco, giving the Huskies the couples point to take an early 1-0 lead.

Malinen would have the only singles match decided in two sets after falling 7-5 and 7-6 to Purser, pulling the score tied at 1.

Muzar won his singles match against Garretto 7-6, 4-6, 10-6 to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead with four matches to be played.

Pata fell behind, dropping the first set 5-7 against Vardakis before pulling off a come-from-behind victory. Pata won the final two sets 6-4, 8-1.

Youngstown State won the final three singles matches to give them a 4-3 win over the Huskies.

Marbach fell to Veremeichuk, 4-6, 6-1, 11-13.Spolidorio won the first set 6-3 over Dahan, and led early in the second. However, Dahan came back to take the second set 7-6 and close out the Huskie with a 10-4 win in the third.

Junior Shao-Yu Yu lost to first-year Erik Gran 5-7, 6-4, 7-10, giving Youngstown State the overall victory.

With the loss the Huskies closed non-conference play with an 8-7 on the season while struggling on the road with a 1-4 visiting record.

The Huskies will return to the court against Western Michigan University 1 p.m. Saturday in Muncie, Indiana to open up Mid-American Conference play for NIU.