March 17, 2006

Charleston, S.C. - The Marquette men's tennis team ended its spring break with a 6-1 loss to Illinois State on the campus of The Citadel. Sophomore Brett Binkley picked up the lone singles point for the Golden Eagles as fall to 8-7 in dual play this season.

Illinois State kicked things off in doubles play as Luka Marinkovic and Daniel Tobar won at No. 3 doubles over the freshmen duo of Stephen Shao and Trent Hagan, 8-3. The `Birds Albert Renard and Oscar Beich clinched the doubles point with a 9-7 victory at No. 1 doubles over sophomores Pete Van Lieshout and Brett Binkley. The Golden Eagles did manage to notch a win at No. 2 doubles as the senior tandem Eigis Vedrickas and Ian Kawas took a hard-fought 8-7 win over Djordje Uskokovic and Nuno Jacinto.

ISU used the momentum from winning the doubles point and struck first in the singles portion as Yohann Nograbat won at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-0, over Vedrickas. Marquette stormed back at No. 5 singles as Binkley recorded a 6-1, 6-4 win over Illinois State's Beich. Kawas was downed 6-2, 6-3 by Renard leaving the Redbirds to extend their match lead to 3-1.

At no. 4 singles, Illinois State's Uskokovic took the first set from Shao, 6-4, and led in the second frame, 5-2, before Shao sparked a comeback to pull within one, 5-4. However, Uskokovic won the next point to seal the singles victory, 6-4, 6-4, and to clinch the match win for Illinois State.

Sophomore Greg Sirotek fell to Luka Marinkovic, 6-3, 6-1, at no. 6 singles, while Hagan battled Jacinto at the third single position just falling short, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

The Golden Eagles return to home to host a doubleheader with Valparaiso and South Dakota State on Saturday, March 25. Tennis action kicks off at the Helfaer Tennis Stadium at noon.

Illinois State 6, Marquette 1

Doubles
1. Albert Renard/Oscar Beich (ISU) def. Pete Van Lieshout/Brett Binkley (MU), 9-7
2. Eigis Vedrickas/Ian Kawas (MU) def. Djordje Uskokovic/Nuno Jacinto (ISU), 8-7
3.Luka Marinkovic/Daniel Tobar (ISU) def. Stephen Shao/Trent Hagan (MU), 8-3

Singles
1. Yohann Nograbat (ISU) def. Eigis Vedrickas (MU), 6-0, 6-0
2. Albert Renard (ISU) def. Ian Kawas (MU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Nuno Jacinto (ISU) def. Trent Hagan (MU), 7-5, 7-6 (3)
4. Djordje Uskokovic (ISU) def. Stephen Shao (MU), 6-4, 6-4
5. Brett Binkley (MU) def. Oscar Beich (ISU), 6-1, 6-4
6. Luka Marinkovic (ISU) def. Gerg Sirotek (MU), 6-3, 6-1