April 18, 2004
CLEVELAND - The Cleveland State men's tennis team moved above .500 for the second time this season after winning a pair of matches over the weekend. The Vikings defeated Youngstown State, 5-2, on Saturday afternoon before taking a 4-3 win from Walsh on Sunday at the Malaga Tennis Center. The Vikings are now 11-10 and 2-3 in the Horizon League with Saturday's league win over the Penguins.
"Saturday's match was a big match since we lost to them earlier in the season," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "We've been trying to get to and stay above .500, and after starting the season 1-8, that's a feat in itself. The program's only had a 10-win season four times since 1932, and to get to that mark in a conference match feels really good."
Against Youngstown State, the Vikings took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and 3 doubles. Jay Tee and Eric Winn got an 8-3 win at the top spot, while Brett Aronson and Dan Singer claimed a 8-1 victory at No. 3.
In singles play, the Vikings dominated the bottom half of the lineup, taking wins at No. 4, 5 and 6. At No. 4, Dan Singer defeated Brian Meek, 6-4, 6-2, while Paul Haley knocked off Jason Trapp, 7-5, 6-2 at No. 5. At No. 6 singles, Jordan Reynolds claimed a win, defeating Justin Beck, 6-1, 6-2. Cleveland State got its final point at No. 2 singles, as Jay Tee defeated Kevin Schaffert, 6-4, 6-2.
On Sunday against Walsh, the singles story was the same as Saturday's, as Cleveland State took wins at No. 2, 4, 5 and 6. Singer defeated Chris Pleska, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 4, while Haley beat Felix Vargas, 6-2, 7-5 at No. 5. At No. 6 singles, Reynolds picked up a win over Martin Echague, 6-3, 6-3. Tee was easing through his match when his opponent withdrew, down 2-0 in the first set at No. 2 singles.
The only difference in the final score came in the doubles point, as Walsh took two of three from the Vikings. Aronson and Singer picked up the lone win for the Vikings in doubles play, winning 8-1.
"We came out a little flat in doubles, and we had to fight our way back into it," Etzkin said. "Jay Tee got the default early to tie the score, and that took a lot of the pressure off us.
"There was a great atmosphere out there with the softball and tennis crowds," Etzkin said. "It seemed as though the crowds were feeding off each other."
The Vikings will next head to Indianapolis, Ind., for the Horizon League Championships. The Vikings, at 2-3, have clinched the No. 4 seed for the tournament and will face Youngstown State in the first round.
