March 4, 2011

CHICAGO- The UIC men's tennis team welcomes the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to the Hinsdale Racquet Club in Hinsdale, Ill. The Flames will take on the Phoenix on Saturday, March 5, beginning at 7 p.m., and this is the opening match for both teams in the Horizon League.

UIC is coming into this opening Horizon League play with an overall record of 2-8. Last time around, the Flames took on last year's Sweet 16 participant Wisconsin on Wednesday, Feb. 23, but fell short in a hard fought battle with the Badgers at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium, 7-0. The Flames are looking for their first win over a Division I institute this season, and looking to better their record of 5-2 in last year's Horizon League play.

Freshman Alan Reifer leads the team with four singles wins and was knocking on the door for his fifth win, but fell short to UW's Rodney Carey in straight sets, 7-6, 7-6. At the No. 2 doubles, juniors Nate Kirk and Scott Shepardson fell in a nail bitter to UW's Ricardo Martin and Carey, 8-7, losing their first match together of the season.

"It's our first Horizon League match-up, and we are looking forward to starting off conference play with a win," said head coach Hans Neufeld.

Green Bay Phoenix is coming into the opening round of conference play, with an overall record of 6-3. The Phoenix has played all of their dual matches so far this season away from campus, and posted a 2-1 mark last weekend. The Phoenix opened up last weekend with a victory over host IPFW in Fort Wayne, Ind., 7-0. The next day the Phoenix traveled to take on Big Ten opponent host Purdue, and fell short to the Boilermakers, 6-1. The weekend was concluded with a 6-1 victory over Eastern Illinois, on the campus of Marquette University at the Helfaer Tennis Stadium.

The Flames are looking to open up conference play with a bang this year, unlike last year when they traveled to Green Bay, Wis., and fell to the Phoenix, 5-2.