Recaps courtesy of Northern Illinois' Athletic Communications Department

Northern Illinois Huskies
CHICAGO, Ill. - Northern Illinois University men's tennis team takes a short trip to Chicago, Ill. for the 2025 ITA Midwest Regionals, hosted by DePaul University at XS Tennis Village. Beginning Thursday, Oct. 16 and running through Monday, Oct. 20, the five-day event welcomes in talent across the region looking to secure NCAA Division I Singles and Doubles Championship bids. 

In day one, the Huskies had three players in the qualifying draw in Iker Dellien Velasco, Federico Scotuzzi and Lorenzo Leti Messina. Dellien and Scotuzzi drew a pair of Big Ten opponents in the opening round of qualifying as both men battled but fell short. Messina faced Cleveland State's Cole Chappell but couldn't hold on, dropping the set 6-4, 6-2. 

Dellien and Scotuzzi both responded in consolation matches as Dellien defeated Illinois State's Manuel Pavia 6-3, 6-0 and Scotuzzi outlasted Cleveland State's Maxime Aremon 6-2, 2-6, 10-7. 

Nikola Puntaric qualified for the main draw and saw Marquette's Blake Roegner. Puntaric and Roegner went three sets as Roegner held on to win 3-6, 7-6, 6-4. 

In the doubles main draw, Western Michigan's Drew Evans and Tim Riedel defeated Messina and Scotuzzi 8-3. 

The trio of Dellien, Puntaric and Scotuzzi will be in action Saturday in singles consolation matches with Dellien facing Cleveland State's Carl Gedlitschka, Scotuzzi seeing DePaul's Sven Moser and Puntaric serving against Illinois State's Tomas Valencia. 

Messina and Scotuzzi team up again in the doubles consolation bracket against Illinois State's Christian Capacci and Manuel Pavia.