Oct. 7, 2005

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette men's tennis team had a strong first day at the Wisconsin Fall Invitational hosted by UW Madison. Playing all their matches outside on this cool fall day, the Golden Eagles had a strong team effort but only have a doubles victory against Wisconsin to show for it.

"I am very pleased with how the guys competed today," assistant coach Raj Gill said. "We were competitive in all the matches and gave ourselves the position to win. Unfortunately we were not quite able to do it."

Marquette matched up with tournament hosts, Wisconsin, for their first matches of the day. Senior Eigis Vedrickas came out strong against the Badger's Nolan Polley, splitting the first two sets, 7-6, 6-7 and then coming back in the third to take the set 11-9.

"Eigis played really good today. His performance is getting better and better with each match," Gill said. "He came to play today and showed everyone how well he can play. We are just hoping he can keep it up."

Freshman Mario Lopez also walked away with a victory against Wisconsin's Elliot Bisnow at no. 6, 6-2, 4-6, 10-6.

Marquette next faced Iowa in singles action. Vedrickas again played strong but this time came up short in the third set, losing to the Hawkeye's Christian Bierich, 6-3, 5-7, (10-8). Ian Kawas was able to defeat J.P. Ritchie, 4-6, 6-1, (10-3), at no. 3. Greg Sirotek and Pete Van Lieshout also walked away victorious against Brett Taylor and Gregory Holm.

The highlight of the day for Marquette was taking the doubles point from the Badgers. The Golden Eagles had wins at the no. 1 and no. 3. Vedrickas and Kawas teamed up to take down Jeremy Sonkin and Lechazar Kasarov, 8-5, while teammates Sirotek and Lopez took care of UW's Brennen Phippen and Brian Ko, 9-7.

"This was the best that one of my Marquette teams has competed from the start of the day until the end of the day, top to bottom," head coach Steve Rodecap said. "I'm pleased with today's effort."

The Golden Eagles will be back in action in Madison tomorrow facing Northern Illinois at 10:30 and 1:30 in singles and doubles.

-COMPLETE RESULTS-

Singles: Wisconsin 5, Marquette 3

No. 1-Vedrickas (MU) def. Polley (W), 7-6, 6-7, 11-9
No. 2-Kasarov (W) def. Binkley (MU), 6-1, 6-1
No. 3-Bellido (W) def. Kawas (MU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 4-Phippen (W) def. Sirotek (MU), 6-3, 7-5
No. 5-Ko (W) def. Van Lieshout (MU) 6-7 (7), 6-1 (11-9)
No. 6-Lopez (MU) def. Bisnow (W), 6-2, 4-6, 10-6
No. 7-Servoss (MU) def. Guntly (W), ret.
No. 8-Hodgson (W) def. Fleming (MU), 4-6, 6-4, 10-6

Singles: Iowa 5, Marquette 3

No. 1-Bierich (I) def. Vedrickas (MU), 6-3, 5-7 (10-8)
No. 2-Monsjou (I) def. Binkley (MU), 7-6 (4), 6-4
No. 3-Kawas (MU) def. Ritchie (I), 4-6, 6-1, (10-3)
No. 4-Sirotek (MU) def. Taylor (I), 5-7, 6-2, (10-5)
No. 5-Van Lieshout (MU) def. Holm (I), 6-2, 6-1
No. 6-Frisch (I) def. Lopez (MU), 6-4, 2-6 (10-8)
No. 7-Sschaechterle (I) def. Servoss (MU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 8-Elwell (I) def. Fleming (MU) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles: Marquette 2, Wisconsin 1

No. 1-Vedrickas/Kawas (MU) def. Sonkin/Kasarov (W) , 8-5
No. 2-Polley/Bellido (W) def. Van Lieshout/Binkley (MU), 8-3
No. 3-Sirotek/Lopez (MU) def. Phippen/Ko (W), 9-7