NCAA-II Men's Tennis National Championships Central Region (First & Second Rounds) Gerald Perry Tennis Courts/Cooper Tennis Complex Host Institution: Drury University May 3-4, 2002 Springfield, Mo.

Drury to Play Midwestern State University of Texas for Central Region Title of NCAA-II National Championships;

Winner to Advance to Kansas City Next Week and "Sweet 16"

Springfield, Missouri.....For Release: Upon Receipt

The Drury University Panthers upped their record to 20-2 with a 6-0 win over Southeastern State University in the opening round of the NCAA-II Men's National Tennis Championships. The Panthers will play Midwestern State University of Texas tomorrow at 10 am. at the Cooper Tennis Complex. MSU edged the University of Central Oklahoma, 5-4, and it will be the Panthers battling the Indians of MSU for the Central Region Championship and for the right to advance to the NCAA-II "Sweet 16" which will be held next week in Kansas City.

In today's opening round matches played at the Gerald Perry Tennis Courts, Midwestern State fell behind the Bronchos of UCO, 2-1, after the doubles. However, the Indians rallied in the singles competition by winning four of the six matches to claim the heart-stopping 5-4 win. It ultimately came down to the #6 singles match as the overall score was tied at 4-all with the only match left being the #6 singles match between MSU's Victor Vidal and UCO's Gregg LeSueur. LeSueur won the first set, 6-4, but Vidal rallied to win the final two sets 6-3, 6-3 and give Midwestern State the 5-4 win. With the win Midwestern State, which is ranked #26 in the nation, is now 15-2 on the year. Central Oklahoma, ranked #32 in the NCAA-II, ends its season with a 14-7 record.

Once that match was completed the Drury Panthers, ranked #2 in the final regular season national poll, had little trouble with Southeastern State University. Drury went up 3-0 after the doubles and was up in all six of the singles matches before three Panthers won their singles matches...all virtually completed at the same time...giving Drury the 6-0 win. Mehdi Belbacha won 6-0, 6-0 at the #1 singles position; Akos Tajta won 6-0, 6-3 at the #2 singles position; and, Hicham Fathi won easlily at #4 (6-1, 6-1). With the loss Southeastern State University ends its season with a 12-10 record.

Results from today's NCAA-II National Tennis Championships Opening Round (Central Region) follow.

Drury University-6, Southeastern State University of Oklahoma-0
(Drury University Players Listed First)

Doubles
1. Mehdi Belbacha/Jeremy Blandin (Drury) defeated Walter Santos-Filho/Jose Salas (SEO) 8-2
2. Javier Llanes/Younes Limam (Drury) defeated Dan Nowell/Jose Tineo (SEO) 8-0
3. Hicham Fathi/Akos Tajta (Drury) defeated Carlos Lopez/Matt Jackson (SEO) 8-5

Singles
1. Mehdi Belbacha (Drury) defeated Walter Santos-Filho (SEO) 6-0, 6-0
2. Akos Tajta (Drury) defeated Carlos Lopez (SEO) 6-0, 6-3
3. Jeremy Blandin (Drury) vs. Jose Tineo (SEO) 6-2, 5-4 Did Not Finish
4. Hicham Fathi (Drury) defeated Matt Jackson (SEO) 6-1, 6-1
5. Javier Llanes (Drury) vs. Jose Salas (SEO) 6-4, 1-0 Did Not Finish
6. Younes Limam (Drury) vs. Ernesto Caldera (SEO) 5-3 Did Not Finish

Midwestern State University-5, University of Central Oklahoma-4
(Midwestern State University Players Listed First)

Doubles
1. Michael Mills/Todd Petty (MSU) defeated Randy Robinson/Henry So (UCO) 8-6
2. Nathan Lundy/Ryan Gillen (MSU) lost to Raphael Bustos/Mouhcine Guettabi (UCO) 9-8
3. Robert van Swelm/Brad Williams (MSU) lost to Gregg le Sueur/Adam Clayton (UCO) 8-1

Singles
1. Robert van Swelm (MSU) lost to Henry So (UCO) 6-4, 6-1
2. Nathan Lundy (MSU) defeated Nikola Ojdanic (UCO) 6-3, 6-4
3. Todd Petty (MSU) defeated Mouhcine Guettabi (UCO) 6-4, 6-4
4. Ryan Gillen (MSU) defeated Adam Clayton (UCO) 6-4, 6-3
5. Michael Mills (MSU) lost to Raphael Buston (UCO) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. Victor Vidal (MSU) defeated Gregg le Sueur (UCO) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

For more information contact Dan Cashel at (417) 873-7222 or Eric Pannell at (417) 873-7374 in the Drury Office of Sports Information. Or visit the Drury web page at: www.drury.edu