Posted: Apr 26, 2019
CLEVELAND, Ohio - After capturing its sixth Horizon League Regular Season Championship last weekend, the Cleveland State men's tennis team will look to defend its tournament title this weekend, entering the 2019 Horizon League Tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Vikings will open the Horizon League Tournament with a semifinal contest on Saturday, April 27 against the winner of No. 4 IUPUI/No. 5 Green Bay, and a win would put them into the championship match on Sunday, April 28.
HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | 2019 #HLMTEN TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Horizon League Semifinals
Saturday, April 27 | vs. TBA | 11:00 a.m.
Schwartz Tennis Center | 1324 McCormick Road | West Lafayette, Ind. | 47906
Horizon League Championship
Sunday, April 28 | vs. TBA | 11:00 a.m.
Schwartz Tennis Center | 1324 McCormick Road | West Lafayette, Ind. | 47906
***Times listed above are for outdoor matches only. In case of inclement weather, check back to CSUVikings.com for updated match times.***
CLEVELAND STATE IN THE HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
The Vikings have had much success in the Horizon League Tournament under head coach Brian Etzkin, capturing six tournament titles under his guidance (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018). Over the last 10 seasons the Vikings have advanced to the championship match eight times – the only school to play in the championship match more than five times during that 10-year span. Out of the seven current Horizon League schools, Cleveland State owns the most Horizon League Regular Season (6) and Tournament Titles (6).
…VIKINGS AS THE NO. 1 SEED
This marks the fifth time that Cleveland State will be playing as the top seed in the Horizon League Tournament, also earning the No. 1 seed during the 2011, 2010, 2009, and 2008 seasons. The Vikings have reached the championship match every year that they have played as the top seed, capturing the tournament title on all four occasions.
LAST TIME OUT…
The Vikings picked up a pair of 6-1 wins against IUPUI and UIC to close out regular season play, capping off a perfect 6-0 #HLMTEN slate en route to claiming the Horizon League Regular Season title. Last weekend's wins extended Cleveland State's current win streak to eight straight matches, while the Vikings have won 10 of their last 12 heading into tournament play.
VIKINGS NOTCH 15-WIN SEASON
Earlier this spring, the Vikings notched their 15th win of the 2019 spring season in a 6-1 decision over Wright State, marking the ninth 15-win campaign during head coach Brian Etzkin's tenure. Cleveland State, who enters the tournament as one of three league teams with double-digit wins, leads all #HLMTEN teams with 17 total wins so far this season.
BILINOVICH, MOSTARDI & SLADE NOTCH 6-0 #HLMTEN CAMPAIGNS
Throughout five weeks of Horizon League regular season play, the Viking trio of Clark Bilinovich, Nico Mostardi and Benjamin Slade posted perfect 6-0 singles records against league opponents. This marked the second straight year that Slade posted a perfect #HLMTEN campaign, as he also went 7-0 against league opponents last season. Bilinovich, Mostardi and Slade are the only three players to go undefeated through regular season league play this year.
…BILINOVICH ON CSU SINGLE-SEASON WINS LIST
The six Horizon League wins are part of 28 total singles wins for freshman Clark Bilinovich so far this season, as he leads the team and is tied for second on the CSU Single-Season Wins List. Bilinovich recorded his 20th singles win of the season in a 6-0, 6-0 decision against Wooster earlier this spring, becoming the first Viking to reach the 20-win milestone this year. Entering the #HLMTEN Tournament, he is just one win shy of tying the program record for wins in a season, and two wins shy of setting a new record.
SLADE & MOSTARDI ON CSU SINGLES WINS LIST
Entering Horizon League Tournament play, Benjamin Slade and Nico Mostardi both rank in the top-10 on the CSU Singles Wins List - Slade ranking sixth with 79 career wins and Mostardi ranking ninth with 69 victories. Earlier this year, Slade became the sixth Viking all-time with 75+ career singles wins, and is three wins shy of moving into a tie for fourth place. Mostardi is just one win shy of becoming the ninth Viking all-time with 70 career wins, and needs just two more wins to move into a tie for eighth place on the list.
TERRY RECORDS 50TH CAREER WIN
Last weekend, Matthew Terry recorded his 50th career singles win, becoming the 15th Viking all-time with 50+ wins and the first to reach the milestone as a sophomore. Terry, who has recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons as a freshman and sophomore, owns a career singles record of 51-22.
20-WIN QUARTET
For the second straight year, and fourth time under head coach Brian Etzkin, four Vikings have eclipsed the 20-win mark in the same season, as Clark Bilinovich (28 wins), Nico Mostardi (23), Matthew Terry (23), and Raul Teichmann (20) all enter tournament play with 20+ wins on the year. Overall, 16 Vikings have now recorded a 20-win season in program history, while Terry and Mostardi are the ninth and tenth Vikings to have multiple 20-win campaigns to their name.
#HLMTEN WEEKLY HONORS
Throughout the season the Vikings have been honored by the Horizon League multiple times, picking up four Singles Player of the Week honors and four Doubles Team of the Week accolades - leading the league in both categories.
Singles Players of the Week: Nico Mostardi (2.26/3.5/3.26) & Luke Phillips (2.19)
Doubles Team of the Week: Mostardi/Slade (2.12/3.5), Bilinovich/Malm (4.16) & Phillips/Terry (4.23)
HEAD COACH BRIAN ETZKIN
Brian Etzkin is in his 17th year at the helm of the Vikings, owning a 252-177 dual match record. Etzkin has guided the Vikings to six Horizon League Tournament titles and six trips to the NCAA Tournament during his tenure. As the all-time winningest coach in program history, Etzkin is one of the longest tenured coaches in the Horizon League, and is the only men's coach to record 250+ wins at their current school.
