Sept. 24, 2002

MURFREESBORO -- University of Tennessee tennis Vol Mark Dietrich competed in the Middle Tennessee Fall Invitational at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center last weekend. The sophomore posted one win and one loss in the event, which was hampered by rain and forfeitures throughout the weekend.

Dietrich's first opponent, Alex Hartman of Ole Miss, pulled out of the event due to injury. In Dietrich's next match, Middle Tennessee's Michael Staniak, provided more of a challenge, forcing a third set before finally succumbing 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. On Saturday, Dietrich faced off against Ole Miss' Catlain Gard. Gard scored a hard-fought victory over the big-serving Volunteer 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Dietrich was slated to play Vanderbilt's Chad Harris in the third-place match on Sunday, but Harris also pulled out of the tournament.

Dietrich played in a ranked singles flight that included: 10th-ranked Daniel Klemetz of MTSU, 19th-ranked Hartman, 38th-ranked Harris, No. 53 Cody Conley from Louisville, 67th-ranked Gard, 69th-ranked Paul Ciorascu of Ole Miss and Staniak, who is not currently ranked. The flight was to be played out in round-robin format, however the flight was not completed as Sunday's final round was canceled due to inclement weather.

The event featured players from 19 collegiate teams, which included: Arkansas-Little Rock, Auburn, Austin Peay, Evansville, Jacksonville State, Kentucky, Lipscomb, Louisville, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Ouachita Baptist, Ole Miss, Southern Illinois, Tennessee, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin, Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky.

The tennis Vols' next action will come on Sept. 27-29 at the adidas Invitational in Peachtree City, Ga.