Friday, March 6
Chicago, Ill.
7:15 P.M. CT
DePaul University
4
vs
3
Northern Illinois
'Band of Brothers' Battles On
3/7/2020 12:16:00 AM | MEN'S TENNIS
Wear down NIU 4-3 for its third win in last four matches
CHICAGO – This tennis team coached by Matt Brothers is beginning to take on an identity in the heart of the dual-match season, and it goes something like this:
No matter what, win or lose, this "Band of Brothers" is going to battle tooth-and-nail right to the end. Opponents better have the stamina for some long and grueling matches.
That wear-you-down style of play brought DePaul its third win in the last four matches with a hard-fought 4-3 triumph over Northern Illinois late into Friday night at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness.
It's almost as if the doubles point set the tone for the rest of the night. The battling Blue Demons won the first doubles encounter with Luuk Wassenaar and Tripp Tuff prevailing over Mikael Vollbach and Shao-Yu Yu 7-6 in three tiebreakers.
Right off the bat, you sensed this was going to be a long night at Lakeshore. DePaul (7-9) lost at No. 1 doubles, but Vito and Fran Tonejc secured the point with a 6-0 sweep over David Pata and Bor Muzar.
Riding that early momentum, Brothers & Co. won the first two singles matches in establishing an imposing 3-0 lead.
Christopher Casati cruised past Yu Yu 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 2 position and Fran Tonejc brought the home team within one of a clinch with a 7-6(5), 6-3 verdict over Vollbach.
NIU (6-5) got on the board with a win at No. 5 singles, but Spanjaard snapped the Huskies' four-match winning streak with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback victory over Pata at No. 2.
DePaul goes after its fourth win in its last five matches on Sunday taking on Wright State at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness with first serve at 3:15 p.m.
DePaul 4, Northern Illinois 3
Lakeshore Sport & Fitness
March 6, 2020
Singles
1. Muzar def. V. Tonejc 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4
2. Spanjaard def. Pata 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. Casati def. Yu Yu 6-1, 6-1
4. Malinen def. Wassenaar 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
5. Spolidorio def. Tuff 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
6. F. Tonejc def. Vollbach 7-6(5), 6-3
Doubles
1. Malinen/Spolidorio def. Casati/Spanjaard 6-4
2. V. Tonejc/F. Tonejc def. Pata/Muzar 6-0
3. Wassenaar/Tuff def. Vollbach/Yu Yu 7-6(3)
No matter what, win or lose, this "Band of Brothers" is going to battle tooth-and-nail right to the end. Opponents better have the stamina for some long and grueling matches.
That wear-you-down style of play brought DePaul its third win in the last four matches with a hard-fought 4-3 triumph over Northern Illinois late into Friday night at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness.
It's almost as if the doubles point set the tone for the rest of the night. The battling Blue Demons won the first doubles encounter with Luuk Wassenaar and Tripp Tuff prevailing over Mikael Vollbach and Shao-Yu Yu 7-6 in three tiebreakers.
Right off the bat, you sensed this was going to be a long night at Lakeshore. DePaul (7-9) lost at No. 1 doubles, but Vito and Fran Tonejc secured the point with a 6-0 sweep over David Pata and Bor Muzar.
Riding that early momentum, Brothers & Co. won the first two singles matches in establishing an imposing 3-0 lead.
Christopher Casati cruised past Yu Yu 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 2 position and Fran Tonejc brought the home team within one of a clinch with a 7-6(5), 6-3 verdict over Vollbach.
NIU (6-5) got on the board with a win at No. 5 singles, but Spanjaard snapped the Huskies' four-match winning streak with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback victory over Pata at No. 2.
DePaul goes after its fourth win in its last five matches on Sunday taking on Wright State at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness with first serve at 3:15 p.m.
DePaul 4, Northern Illinois 3
Lakeshore Sport & Fitness
March 6, 2020
Singles
1. Muzar def. V. Tonejc 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4
2. Spanjaard def. Pata 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. Casati def. Yu Yu 6-1, 6-1
4. Malinen def. Wassenaar 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
5. Spolidorio def. Tuff 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
6. F. Tonejc def. Vollbach 7-6(5), 6-3
Doubles
1. Malinen/Spolidorio def. Casati/Spanjaard 6-4
2. V. Tonejc/F. Tonejc def. Pata/Muzar 6-0
3. Wassenaar/Tuff def. Vollbach/Yu Yu 7-6(3)
Players Mentioned
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