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For Immediate Release 17 April 2003
MARYVILLE
– Southwest Baptist’s men’s tennis team will
travel to Maryville for the 51st Annual Mid-America Intercollegiate
Athletics Association Men’s Tennis Championships. The
tournament begins on Friday, April 18 and continues through
Saturday, April 19.
The No. 10 Bearcats enter the tournament with a 19-5 overall
record and a 5-0 MIAA tally. Earlier this season, SBU defeated
fellow MIAA members Truman (9-0), Emporia State (9-0), Washburn
(9-0), Northwest Missouri State (7-2) and Missouri-Rolla (7-2).
“Our goal from day one is win the next match and win
the last match,” said SBU Head Coach John Bryant. “We’re
considering this weekend as the next match and this team has
been pretty good about doing that.”
SBU is coming off a 5-0 weekend at the Central Oklahoma Broncho
Invitational. SBU defeated Rockhurst (5-1), East Central (5-0),
Incarnate Word (6-2), Abilene Christian (5-0) and Cameron
(5-0).
The Bearcats five losses this season have come against either
higher nationally-ranked teams, or against Division I opponents.
However, SBU has chalked up some quality wins. For example,
knocking off then-No. 1 Drury 5-4 on April 1.
“We have lost some matches early that tells us we can
be beat,” Bryant said. “However, we also have some
wins that tell us we have a chance against anybody. If we
will focus at the job at hand, we’ll let this thing play
out.”
The Bearcats are led by No. 9 Andras Bori in singles. He is
4-0 in MIAA play and 14-3 overall this season in dual match
play. Dante Cipulli, who plays the second flight, is ranked
No. 40 in the nation and is 5-0 in MIAA play and 17-3 this
season overall. No. 22 Mark Eori is in the third flight and
is 5-0 in MIAA action and 18-1 in dual matches. In the fourth
flight is Johan Nortje. Nortje is 5-0 in conference action
and 13-6 in dual action. Peter Joos is 4-0 and 11-6 in the
fourth flight, while T.J. Martin is 3-1 in MIAA action and
7-13 in dual matches in the sixth flight.
In doubles, the Bearcats are led by No. 5 Eori and Bori. The
reigning national champions are 4-0 in MIAA play this season
and 20-2 in dual action. Cipulli and Nortje have teamed up
for a 5-0 mark in the MIAA and are 21-2 dual match play. Joos
and Martin are 4-1 in the MIAA and 10-12 overall this season.
SBU has 10 MIAA Championship Tournament titles. Northwest
Missouri State has the record with 14. Truman has won 11.
The Bearcats broke the top 10 in the national poll this week
for the first time since 1994. From 1988-94, SBU was consistently
ranked in the top eight. SBU has been ranked nationally this
season, however, this is the highest ranking thus far. The
Bearcats are still ranked No. 1 in the North Central Region.
“We’re not focusing on the ranking,” Bryant
said. “After defeating Drury, everybody in the country
knows us. We just need to be ready to play.”
The Bearcats are likely to move to the regional tournament
to be held May 2-3. The site is still to be determined. If
the Bearcats make the regional round of the national tournament,
it will be the first time in three seasons. It will also the
the 32nd time in Bryant’s 37-year tenure the Bearcats
have made the
national tournament.
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