Men's Tennis Set to Begin Intraconference Play

Milwaukee?The Marquette men?s tennis team is preparing to start its last Conference USA intraconference play before heading to the BIG EAST conference next season. The Golden Eagles (6-4) are heading to the 2005 Conference USA Shootout in New Orleans, La.

Marquette will take on UAB (4-2) Fri. at 9 a.m. at Goldring Tennis Center. Coach Steve Rodecap says playing outdoors will be something the team must get used to quickly.

?It is important for us to get in a good practice Thursday in New Orleans to help us adjust to playing outdoors,? Rodecap said. ?This will be our first match outside since the fall and every other team at Tulane will have played outdoors.

?We had a good two days of practice leading up to our departure and I know our guys are excited for the opportunity to play UAB,? he said.

C-USA boasts five nationally ranked programs, three?TCU (13), Tulane (28) and Louisville (37)--- are in the top 50. Marquette is playing in a bracket containing Tulane and No. 53 USF.

If the Golden Eagles get past UAB on Fri., they will play one-seeded Tulane on Sat. at 11 a.m. If they lose, they face the loser of the Southern Miss vs. Charlotte match at 8 a.m. on Sat.

Marquette has the fourth best record in C-USA, only Louisville (8-5), DePaul (8-6) and Tulane (6-4) are ahead of the Golden Eagles.

Complete results of the 2005 Conference USA Shootout can be found at www.gomarquette.com.
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