The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team is set to face Xavier at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House on Saturday for a 2 p.m. match. Admission is free.

The Huskies (2-0) opened their season with wins over IU Indy and Illinois State last weekend. A pair of sophomores clinched each match for NIU.

Against IU Indy, Lorenzo Leti Messina (Rome, Italy/North Florida) sealed the opening win of the year with a 6-2, 6-0 singles win as NIU prevailed 5-2. The next day, Chiao Bo Suo Nan (Taiwan/Taipei Municipal Jianguo) stepped up for the Huskies vs. Illinois State, driving home a 6-4, 6-3 singles victory from the No. 5 spot in the Huskies 4-3 win.

NIU swept the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week Awards following strong performances. Senior Iker Gaztambide Arrastia was selected as the Singles Players of the Week while Gaztambide Arrastia and fellow senior Federico Scotuzzi earned Doubles Team of the Week.

Gaztambide Arrastia went 2-0 in both singles and doubles through the weekend on the top courts.

Xavier (0-3) has played all three of its matches on the road, traveling to Ball State, No. 6 Ohio State and Louisville. The Musketeers recorded two singles wins against Ball State, who was selected sixth in the MAC preseason coaches poll.

NIU and Xavier last played in 2024, a match the Huskies won 6-1.