Jan. 24, 2008

Contact: Jessica Gerich

Complete Release in PDF Format

FIRST SERVE: The Cleveland State men's tennis team (1-2), continues its spring season when it hosts Xavier on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 2:00 p.m. The Cleveland State women host Toledo on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 12:00 p.m.

PREVIEWING THE VIKING MEN: The Viking men are led by sophomores Phil Orno and Ryan Hamning. A First Team All-Horizon League selection, Orno has a 6-9 record, playing No. 1 singles, while Hamning, an all-league second team selection, has a 9-6 record at No. 2 singles. Junior Rob West has a 1-2 record at No. 3 singles, while freshman Chris Klepatz is 4-6 at No. 4 singles. Freshman Robert Fox and senior Brad Groleski are 6-6 and 2-3 to wrap up the bottom of the Viking lineup. Hamning and Orno also form the No. 1 doubles team and the duo is 6-5.

PREVIEWING THE VIKING WOMEN: The women opened dual action last weekend, going 1-1 at IPFW and Michigan State. Freshman Jackie Tabb and Sophomore Charlotte Gibbons led the Viking charge, winning both No. 1 doubles matches and going 2-2 at No. 2 and No. 6 singles, respectively. Freshmen Melissa Holzinger (3-10) and Tabb (3-11) form the top of the Viking lineup. Senior Jenn Myers and freshman Sanda Bjelan are both 6-6 at No. 3 and 4 singles. Sophomores Denisa Muntean and Charlotte Gibbons hold down the bottom of the lineup, with 6-6 and 3-2 records at No. 5 and 6 singles, respectively. The Viking women went 3-3 at doubles play during their opening weekend, including a 2-0 record from the No. 1 duo of Gibbons and Tabb.

THE HEAD COACH
Brian Etzkin (Southern Illinois, `98)
Men's Record: 64-65
Women's Record: 60-77
Brian Etzkin, CSU's all-time coaching wins leader, has led both the men's and women's team to five straight seasons with 10 wins or more. Nine Vikings have garnered All-Horizon League recognition under Etzkin's tutelage and two players have earned Horizon League Newcomer of the Year honors. Etzkin guided both the men's and women's teams to new heights last season, with the women having their best tournament finish in program history, (third) while the men tied their best tournament finish in school history (third).

ETZKIN ON THE MEN: "We faced some stiff competition this weekend, winning the match we were supposed to win and playing well against two Big Ten teams. Last season we traveled to Xavier and beat them 4-3 in a very competitive match. We are looking forward to them coming up this weekend."

ETZKIN ON THE WOMEN: "We beat IPFW for the first time in a couple of tries and we definitely looked good in some spots against Michigan State. Toledo is a team we have struggled with in the past, but I think our combination of youth and leadership give us a chance to get a victory this weekend."

BACK FROM WHERE THEY LEFT OFF: Sophomores Ryan Hamning and Phil Orno, all-league selections following their freshman campaigns, have picked up where they left off last season. Orno is 6-9 at No. 1 singles, while Hamning boasts a 9-6 record at No. 2 singles. Hamning and Orno were the only two players representing CSU at the Polo Ralph Lauren All-American Tennis Championships, which were held in Tulsa, Okla., in the fall. Both were selected to play singles and doubles at the ITA Regional Tournament.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: The women's team has posted a 20-18 doubles record this season. Senior Christine Vogelgesang has the best doubles record for the women's team, going 8-2. Sophomore Charlotte Gibbons and freshman Jackie Tabb form the women's No. 1 duo, opening the dual match season 2-0, including knocking off Michigan State's No.1 doubles team in a match against the Spartans. Sophomores Ryan Hamning and Phil Orno are 6-5, the best mark for the men's squad in doubles play.

THEY HAVE BEEN ROBBED: Junior Rob West and Rob Fox form the men's No. 2 doubles team, going 3-3 for the season. The duo defeated Michigan State's No. 2 team 8-5, which was CSU's only victory against the Big Ten team.

SENIOR STRENGTH: Senior Jenn Myers leads the seniors on the women's squad with a 6-6 record, playing predominately No. 3 singles. Christine Vogelgesang leads the team in doubles wins, with an 8-2 record, going 4-1 with both Myers and Lindsey Sellers. Morgan Ungerott, playing mostly doubles, has compiled a 3-4 doubles record. Brad Groleski, the lone senior on the men's squad, has a 2-3 singles record and is 2-1 at No. 3 doubles.

TABB TABBED FOR LEAGUE HONORS: Freshman Jackie Tabb received Horizon League Tennis Athlete of the Week honors on Jan. 23, after defeating IPFW's Stacy Lish, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles and going 2-0 at No. 1 doubles with sophomore Charlotte Gibbons.

FRESHMEN IMPORTS: Freshmen Sanda Bjelan and Robert Fox have compiled the best record among CSU newcomers. Bjelan, a Bad Ragaz, Switzerland product, has posted a 6-6 record, while Fox, a Rotterdam, Netherlands native, has a 6-6 record. Both Bjelan and Fox own 3-5 doubles records, playing No. 2 doubles.

UP NEXT: The Viking men and women travel to New York next weekend for two matches. Both teams face St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 2:00 p.m. and Niagara on Sunday, Feb. 3 at 1:00 p.m.