Saturday, March 29
Evanston, Ill.
12 p.m. CT
Northwestern
0
vs
4
Illinois
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
'Cats Split Saturday Doubleheader
3/29/2025 11:38:00 PM | Men's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. - No. 65 Northwestern men's tennis (11-11, 3-4 Big Ten) split a doubleheader on Saturday at home, falling 4-0 to No. 23 Illinois in the afternoon match before defeating Youngstown State 4-0 to finish the evening.
The Illini (11-6, 5-2 Big Ten) were first to face the 'Cats. Their No. 2 doubles pairing picked up a quick 6-2 victory to open the action, but the other two matches went down to the wire. At the No. 3 spot, Vincent Yang and Max Bengtsson kept pace with Mathis Debru and Max Mroz all the way through, forcing the match to a tiebreak game before eventually falling 7-6 (7-4). Playing at No. 1 doubles, Chad Miller and Felix Nordby battled their opponents closely, too; that match was 6-5 in favor of the Illini before it was abandoned.
While the 'Cats weren't able to put a point on the board, they played tough matches on several singles courts as well. Nordby took a set off of the ITA's No. 62 player, William Mroz, before eventually falling in three sets. Both Greyson Casey and Yang won their first sets and were beaten narrowly in a second-set tiebreaks before their matches went unfinished. After falling in his own tiebreak in the first set, Miller won six straight games in the second to bounce back and tie his match at a set apiece before it, too, was abandoned.
Following the defeat, Northwestern returned to action in the evening, hosting Youngstown State (11-6) as the final non-conference opponent of the year. This time, the 'Cats came away with the doubles point themselves. The pairings of Casey and Saiprakash Goli and Bengtsson and Yang both won 6-2 victories to clinch the match's first point.
Singles play went equally well for the 'Cats, as they picked up three victories in straight sets to secure the 4-0 sweep. Nordby (6-2, 6-3), Bengtsson (6-1, 6-0) and Miller (6-2, 7-5) all chipped in with individual wins to lock up the team victory for the Wildcats.
Northwestern men's tennis will resume Big Ten play next weekend, set to play Michigan State and Michigan on the road. Friday's match in East Lansing will begin at 4 p.m. CT, and first serve on Sunday in Ann Arbor is scheduled for noon CT.
The Illini (11-6, 5-2 Big Ten) were first to face the 'Cats. Their No. 2 doubles pairing picked up a quick 6-2 victory to open the action, but the other two matches went down to the wire. At the No. 3 spot, Vincent Yang and Max Bengtsson kept pace with Mathis Debru and Max Mroz all the way through, forcing the match to a tiebreak game before eventually falling 7-6 (7-4). Playing at No. 1 doubles, Chad Miller and Felix Nordby battled their opponents closely, too; that match was 6-5 in favor of the Illini before it was abandoned.
While the 'Cats weren't able to put a point on the board, they played tough matches on several singles courts as well. Nordby took a set off of the ITA's No. 62 player, William Mroz, before eventually falling in three sets. Both Greyson Casey and Yang won their first sets and were beaten narrowly in a second-set tiebreaks before their matches went unfinished. After falling in his own tiebreak in the first set, Miller won six straight games in the second to bounce back and tie his match at a set apiece before it, too, was abandoned.
Following the defeat, Northwestern returned to action in the evening, hosting Youngstown State (11-6) as the final non-conference opponent of the year. This time, the 'Cats came away with the doubles point themselves. The pairings of Casey and Saiprakash Goli and Bengtsson and Yang both won 6-2 victories to clinch the match's first point.
Singles play went equally well for the 'Cats, as they picked up three victories in straight sets to secure the 4-0 sweep. Nordby (6-2, 6-3), Bengtsson (6-1, 6-0) and Miller (6-2, 7-5) all chipped in with individual wins to lock up the team victory for the Wildcats.
Northwestern men's tennis will resume Big Ten play next weekend, set to play Michigan State and Michigan on the road. Friday's match in East Lansing will begin at 4 p.m. CT, and first serve on Sunday in Ann Arbor is scheduled for noon CT.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
12
Kenta Miyoshi / 0 (16/-) [ILLINI]
66
32
#2 Singles Match
123
William Mroz / 0 (62/-) [ILLINI]
466
642
#3 Singles Match
1234
Jeremy Zhang / 0 [ILLINI]
0720
660UF
#4 Singles Match
12
Zach Viiala / 0 [ILLINI]
66
34
#5 Singles Match
1234
Mathis Debru / 0 [ILLINI]
7320
661UF
#6 Singles Match
123
Gabrielius Guzauskas / 0 [ILLINI]
470
66UF
Order of Finish:
4,1,2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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