The Redbird mens tennis team that has tradtioanally been very strong at the top of their lineup will start the 2003 spring season with a little more muscle at the bottom of the lineup.
The strongest part of our team this season will be our players in the four through six spots, said Redbird tennis coach Greg Kennett.
Ciarian Foley, Marek Blaskovic, Ben Capuccitti and Ben Pettinari are playing very well right now. These guys will help us to be deeper than a lot of the teams that we will play this year, said Kennett.
The Birds are not lacking for talent in the top two spots either, as senior captain Jason Smit and freshman upstart Djordje Uskokovic will hold down the first two positions.
Even though we play a lot of the teams that have great players at the one and two positions, Smit is playing very well right now, and Uskokovic is a very unique player who doesnt get flustered during a match and is able to raise his concentration level the more intense the match gets, expressed Kennett.
Six out of the seven members on the Redbird roster finished the fall season with records above .500, which even further exemplifies how deep this team is.
Although the singles positions have not been finalized Coach Kennett has decided on the pairs for doubles competition. Djordje Uskokovic and Ben Pettinari will team up in the first position, Smit and senior Andy Martin will play in the second spot and Ciaran Foley and Marek Blaskovic will make up the final team.
The Redbirds will start the spring season at home against Eastern Illinois this Friday at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington at 7:00 p.m.
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