Moving the MAC Tournament to Rockford because of weather didn’t stop the NIU men’s tennis team’s momentum.

The fourth-seeded Huskies defeated fifth-seeded Chicago State 4-0 Thursday afternoon in the opening round.

“We played well,” NIU coach Pontus Hiort said. “We got the doubles point and then played well in singles.”

The Huskies won the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles matches to earn the doubles point and then swept through three singles matches early for the victory. NIU junior Brian Livingston won his No. 1 singles match 6-1, 7-6 but did not have to finish his doubles match as the Huskies had already clinched the match.

NIU plays in the semifinals against top-seeded Western Michigan today at 10 a.m.

Women’s Tennis

Facing elimination early, the NIU women’s tennis team rebounded quickly and efficiently.

The Huskies fell behind, losing the opening doubles point, but came back to defeat Akron 4-1 in the opening round of the MAC Tournament.

Down 1-0, NIU rallied to win four of the six singles matches for the victory.

The eighth-seeded Huskies will face off against first-seeded Western Michigan today at 9 a.m.