April 3, 2009

Contact: Dana Ingraham

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State tennis will continue Horizon League play in Wisconsin this weekend.

The women's team is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. match in Green Bay on Saturday followed by a 9:00 a.m. match in Milwaukee on Sunday (times have been slightly adjusted from those previously scheduled). The men's team is slated to play just one match this weekend, traveling to Green Bay on Sunday.

Both teams are fighting for top seeds in the rapidly approaching Horizon League Tournament on April 24.

The women's squad enters the weekend with a 2-1 record in the conference, coming off of a clean 7-0 sweep of Valparaiso on Monday. In 2008, the women handed Green Bay two shutouts, 7-0 and 4-0, in the regular season and the Horizon League tournament, as well as tacking on another 7-0 victory against Milwaukee.

Although two more similar wins this weekend would surely boost Cleveland State's presence in the conference, coach Brian Etzkin knows neither match can be taken for granted in 2009.

Sophomores Jackie Tabb and Sanda Bjelan have been exceptional on the court so far against Horizon League opponents this season. Both women have compiled 3-0 conference records at their respective singles positions, Tabb at No. 4 and Bjelan predominately at No. 6.

CSU will look to sharpen its doubles play this weekend as well, an aspect of its game that has notably been improving with every match.

Opposite the women, The Viking men remain in control of their ultimate goal - a repeat performance of last year's first Horizon League championship in program history. The team is well on their way, as it has already picked up two quick conference wins against Youngstown State and Detroit.

The men have been performing as strong in singles play as they have all year, proving this point in a close 4-3 win against Xavier last weekend. Phil Orno, Rob West, Ryan Hamning, and Yannick Goossens posted victories at the top four singles spots to secure the win for Cleveland State. The team will look to capitalize on this strength in its lone match this week.

Last year the men handily defeated Green Bay 6-1, and 4-0 in their two meetings.

"Both the men's and women's programs have excellent opportunities to succeed this weekend," commented Etzkin. "This is the point in the season when we need to use every practice and every match as preparation for the Horizon League tournament, and I think so far we have been doing a great job of that. Every time we step on the court we are focused and ready to get the job done."

Overall this spring, Cleveland State's women are 12-8 and the men are 12-5.