Jan. 29, 2011
ISU / Butler Results in PDF Format 
ISU / UIC Results in PDF Format
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois State men's tennis team continued its impressive play Saturday at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington, Ill., as it stormed past Butler and UIC in clean sweeps of both matches, 7-0.
The Redbirds have now won all three matches at home this season, all against Horizon League schools.
In the Butler match, ISU got off to a hot start in doubles. On the No. 1 doubles court, Timon Reichelt and Alexander Pelaez rolled past Chris Herron and Bryce Warren, 8-4. Filip Miljevic and Mya Smith-Dennis made short work of Lenz Theodor and Brandon Bayliss on the No. 2 court, 8-3, while Tuomas Manner and Skip Span took down David Dolins and Ben Shafer, 8-2.
In singles play, Pelaez fought out a tough two-setter against Bayliss, 6-1, 7-6 (5), in the first position. Reichelt cruised past Warren in the number two position, 6-0, 6-2, while Miljevic defeated Herron in straight-sets, 6-3, 6-4. Manner squeaked out a win over Theodor in the fourth spot, 6-2, 4-6, 10-4, while Smith-Dennis handled Dolins in straight-sets, 6-2, 6-3. Juan Varon completed the Redbirds' sweep of the Bulldogs in his debut in real match competition, defeating Brad DiCarlo in the sixth position, 6-2, 6-0.
Head coach Cris James was impressed with his team's performance against Butler.
"I thought we played really well," James said. "Our doubles play was very strong and Butler is usually tough in that aspect. I was really pleased with our doubles play."
James shuffled his lineup a bit against the Flames. In doubles play, Reichelt and Manner took down Scott Shepardson and Luiz Gonzaga in the first position, 8-4. Miljevic and Smith-Dennis fell to Dave Robare and Alexander Raa in the second position, 8-5, in the Redbirds' only defeat of the day. Pelaez and Varon, in his first doubles action as a Redbird, squeaked out a tough match against Rahul Kamath and Gautham Oroskar in the third position, 8-6, to claim the doubles point for ISU.
In singles play, the Redbirds built off their momentum from the Butler match. In the first position, Reichelt cruised past Raa in straight-sets, 6-3, 6-3. Pelaez also won in straight-sets in the second position over Gonzaga, 6-4, 6-3, while Manner continued his unbeaten run as a Redbird, holding off James Li in the third position, 6-3, 6-3. Varon came up big in a marathon match in the fourth spot, defeating Alan Reifer, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2). Span, in his first singles competition since coming off an injured shoulder, rolled past Nicolas Ospina in the fifth position, 6-0, 6-0, and Smith-Dennis won in straight-sets over Kamath, 6-4, 6-4.
James was very impressed with his team's competitiveness in both matches.
"You have to practice competing at a high level," James said. "I told the team that if we compete the way we did against Butler and UIC, that it doesn't matter who we're playing against, we're going to be in the match. I was very pleased with our will to compete and I want to see that carry over throughout the season."
The Redbirds do not take the court again until Feb. 11, when they take on Indiana in Bloomington, Ind.
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