Sept. 20, 2004
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Contact: David Barry
SETTING THE SCENE: Part of the women's team will be in action this weekend when Sarah Galon and Jen Myers travel to the Pennsylvania Invitiational in Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 24th, while the men have the week off in preparation for matches against UW-Green Bay and Valparaiso on Oct. 2 and 3rd. The women's team lost its first match of the season on Sunday against Buffalo, and will look to rebound during the course of the wekeend play. Meanwhile, the men's team competed in individual play over the weekend at the Ball State Invitational.
MEN TRAVEL TO BALL STATE: The men traveled to Indiana to take part in a 17-team flighted individual tournament, a competition which computed no team scores. Paul Haley advanced to the quartfinals with two straight set victories before losing in two sets in the round of eight. CSU lost all eight of its doubles matches, and Haley and Jordan Reynolds were the only Vikings to win their first round match.
WOMEN FALL TO BUFFALO: The women lost their first match of the season, dropping to a very good Buffalo squad. Christine Vogelgesang resistered CSU's lone point of the day with a straight set victory at #6 singles. Number one singles player Sarah Galon lost her first match of the year, falling in straight sets.
COACHING CONSISTENCY: Brian Etzkin returns to coach for the third consecutive season, and for the second straight year will be joined by Assistant Coach David Howell. In his third season as head coach of the Viking tennis program, Brian Etzkin has compiled a combined record of 35-70 (22-30 men, 13-40 women). Etzkin has been given the task reviving the men's tennis program, which returned in 2000 after an eight-year hiatus. Prior to his arrival at Cleveland State, Etzkin spent two years as an assistant at Western Illinois before being named an assistant coach at Michigan State. Howell, a native of Solon, joined the program after spending a season as interim head coach at Allegheny College. A standout player for Allegheny from '96-00, Howell served as assistant coach at St. Lawrence University from 2001-02.
RECORD BREAKERS: Both tennis teams took giant steps forward during the 2003-04 season. The men's 13-11 record marked the first winning season the program has seen since 1989, and the third-place finish at the Horizon League Championship was the best in school history. The women, meanwhile, won 10 matches, tying a school record for wins. Their first-round win over #3 UW-Green Bay marked the first time the women's team had ever won the opening round match in the Horizon League Championship.
JUST WINN BABY: Eric Winn, who was selected to the 2003 Horizon League first-team, faced strong competitionin the A flight at the Ball State Invitiational. After losing his first match 6-4, 6-4 to an oppo nent from Illinios St., Winn came back to beat a player from Marquette, 6-3, 6-4. The Texas native then fell in another close match, 6-3, 6-4 to Marcy Pyatt of IUPUI. Winn went 8-7 as the No. 1 singles player in '03, including a 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2) win that secured CSU third place in the Horizon League Championship, the Vikings' best ever finish.
ALOHA TO THE NEW SEASON: Hawaii native and super sophomore Sarah Galon lost her first match of the season Sunday, a 7-6 (4), 6-3 decision to her Buffalo opponent. Galon was voted the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year in 2003-04, a season that saw her lead the team with an 18-9 record at No. 1 singles en route to First-Team All Horizon League honors. She did not lose a conference match until UI-C in early March. "Every coach looks for a player that can win at No. 1," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "She's the one we plan to build around, and with the right supporting cast, we feel like she can lead us to a championship."
SO FRESH AND SO CLEAN: The women's team sports three freshmen on the court this season, while the men have one. Christine Vogelgesang provided the lone point for the Vikings in Sunday's match against Buffalo, winning her #6 singles match 6-4, 6-1. The freshmen doubles tandem of Jenn Myers and Christine Vogelgesang is 1-1 after dropping an 8-3 decision to Buffalo. Lindsay Sellers, the other freshman on the women's team, is 1-2 after also dropping her match against Buffalo. Brad Groleski, the lone freshman on the men's team, has provided steady play at #2 behind Eric Winn. The Springboro, Ohio native lost his first round match at the Ball State Invitiational, and then dropped a hard-fought match to his St. Louis opponent in the second round. After losing the first set tiebreak 8-6, Groleski fought back to win the second set 6-4. He lost the final tiebreak by a 13-11 score, but fought hard in defeat.
