May 2, 2007

Springfield, Mo. - The Mercyhurst men's tennis team opens play in the NCAA Division II Playoffs Friday at Drury University. Seeded No. 5, the Lakers will play No. 4 seed Wayne State at 8 a.m.

Mercyhurst returns to the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since the 2005 season. The Lakers also played Wayne State in the first round that year, losing 5-4. Mercyhurst has not won an NCAA Playoff game since defeating Concordia (N.Y.) 4-0 and Slippery Rock 4-0 in the 1995 East Regional. The Lakers were then eliminated by Lander 4-0.

In order to advance this year, Mercyhurst, at 14-7, will need to beat a familiar foe in Wayne State, at 10-9. The two teams have squared off twice this year, with each team winning once. The Lakers won the regular season battle 5-4, taking 2-of-3 doubles matches and getting singles wins from Mariano Fava, Lee Michael Marnik and Mateusz Przybysz.

In the conference tournament, Wayne State turned the tables. The Lakers still won two doubles matches but Marnik and Przybysz were unable to pick up wins again as the Warriors won 5-2.

The winner of the contest between Mercyhurst and Wayne State will play the next day against either No. 1 seed Drury or No. 8 seed West Liberty State.