MU Opens 2007-08 Campaign At Ball State Invitational

Sept. 13, 2007

Milwaukee - The Marquette University men's tennis team officially opens the competitive portion of its 2007-08 campaign this weekend with participation in the 29th Annual Ball State Invitational in Muncie, Ind.

The 10-team field consists of: Ball State, Bradley, Northern Illinois, Marquette, IUPUI, IPFW, Cleveland State, Butler, Eastern Illinois and Indiana State. The tournament consists of three flights of singles (32 players) each and three flights of doubles action, with 16 squads participating.

Tournament action begins Friday morning with doubles play and continues through Sunday. MU head coach Steve Rodecap will be returning once again to his alma mater, where he helped the Cardinals to three Mid-American Conference Tournament titles during his tenure.

"This weekend will be a good way to measure where we are," Rodecap said. "I am looking forward to watching the new guys play and we will be able to try some different doubles combinations."

The Golden Eagles return seven letterwinners, including a trio of experienced seniors, to the roster in 2007-08. Marquette posted a 14-8 overall record in 2006-07, the program's second-straight winning season. MU finished fifth at the BIG EAST Championship and returns each lineup position, both singles and doubles.

Each of the returnees and the pair of newcomers will be competing at Ball State. Sophomore Niko Boulieris and junior Stephen Shao teamed up to capture the Flight "B" doubles championship at the event in 2006 and senior Pete Van Lieshout and classmate Greg Sirotek finished on top of Flight "C" last season as well.

"I am looking for a good weekend where we are able to evaluate the team," Rodecap said. "I think the guys are ready to have someone besides a teammate on the other side of the net."