The Huskies kicked off their season at the River Forest Intercollegiate Invitational Friday through Sunday. The team totaled nine singles victories and five doubles wins on the clay courts of the River Forest Tennis Club and Oak Park Country Club in River Forest, Illinois.

NIU’s top performers were freshman Victor Spolidorio and redshirt freshman Kristopher Ortega who reached the championship in doubles at No. 3. The pair won their opening match 6-4 over Eastern Illinois players in Logan Charbonneau and Braden Davis and their second match 6-2 against Valparaiso’s Nick Marino and Frank Brozovich. The Huskies fell short 9-7 against University of Illinois – Chicago players in Johan Hedstrom and Marco Nanni in the final doubles match at No. 3.

NIU seniors in Eric Marbach and Georg Lundkvist went 1-2 in doubles matches at No. 1.

The pair defeated Valparaiso 6-1 before losing the next two sets to UIC and Marquette.

At No. 2 singles, Marbach went 2-1 in his matches, including winning his first match (6-3, 6-3) over Niko Wasilevicz of UIC and won the third match over Brett Meyers of Marquette (7-5, 6-7, 10-6). He then lost his semifinal matchup against Brandon Ancona of Valparaiso 6-4, 4-6, 10-6. Marbach was then able bounce back and earn a 7-5, 6-7, 10-6 win over Brett Meyers of Marquette in the third place match.

Lundkvist also went 2-1 in his doubles match at No.3 as he defeated Grant Reiman of Eastern Illinois (6-2, 6-2 6-2, 6-2 ) and Johan Hedstrom of UIC (6-1, 6-3).

Senior’s Louis Philippe Hamel and Tom Hjertonsson went 2-1 in their match at doubles No. 2. The duo won their opening match 6-0 over Gvidas Motuzas and Alvaro Arce of Detroit. The pair added another win after defeating Scott Christian and Andre Romanello of Marquette 8-5 in the third match.

At No. 1 singles, Hammel finished 1-2 but tallied a victory against Greg Anderson of Marquette (5-7, 6-4, 10-7) in the first match.

The Huskies will continue their season at the Roger Knapp Invite. The Invitational will begin Friday and will finish Sunday in Des Moines. Iowa.