The NIU men’s tennis team split a pair of matches against Bradley and Illinois State over the weekend.

The Huskies (2-3) started the weekend on the road Saturday in Peoria, posting a dominant 6-1 victory over the Braves.

“We played quite well,” NIU head coach Pontus Hiort said. “We started strong in doubles, and it carried over to singles play.”

Senior Alex Friesen led the way for NIU, posting a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles and a 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles with junior Jimmy Chu.

Overall, the Huskies won five of the six singles matches and two of the three doubles matches.

NIU returned home on Sunday to face off against Illinois State, only to lose 4-3. The entire match came down to the final set of the last singles match.

“It was a tough loss to swallow,” Hiort said. “We just came up a little bit short.”

NIU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, with junior Brian Livingston winning at No. 1 singles 6-2, 6-2 and Friesen winning at No. 2 singles 6-2, 6-1.

NIU also won two of the three doubles matches to open the day, but were unable to stop the Redbirds for the rest of the day.

NIU sophomore Javier Bernabe held a 5-4 third set lead at No. 6 singles, only to fall victim to a rally by ISU’s Filip Milijevic. Milijevic won the match 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

The Huskies will be looking to even their record on the road against Indiana State this Saturday.

“We need to continue to play strong in doubles,” Hiort said. “We need more even production in our lineups. Everyone has to be on the same page each day.”

Disappointment at home

In a tough result in its home opener, NIU lost to Eastern Illinois on Saturday, 4-3.

The Huskies were without one of their best players in junior Nao Umemura but were still able to keep the match competitive until the end.

EIU won two of the three doubles matches, while NIU won numbers one, four and five singles.

Lilian Asuaje won at No. 1 singles for NIU 7-6, 3-0, while Dora Delgadillo was a victor in No. 5 singles 6-3, 6-2.

The Huskies are on the road next against Marquette on Saturday.

South of the boarder

In Mexico, the NIU women’s golf team opened its spring season, co-hosting the Baja Invitational with Southern Mississippi at the Bajamar Ocean Front Resort.

The Huskies teed off Monday morning and will conclude play Tuesday against schools including Bradley, Drake, Iowa and Southern Illinois. Each team plays 36 holes on the 6,094-yard course.

The team is led by seniors Abbie Many and Jessica Parmenter. Last season Many won the Western Illinois Invitational while Parmenter finished second at the Huskie Classic.