April 2, 2000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The University of Illinois men's tennis team stayed perfect in Big Ten play with a 5-2 victory over Michigan State on Sunday afternoon from the Atkins Tennis Center.

Illinois swept the doubles to start the match and collected four singles wins, improving to 13-3 on the year and 5-0 in the Big Ten. Getting his 100th career singles win, senior Jeff Laski clinched the Illini win with his 6-4, 6-2 victory over Ken Kigongo at No. 2 singles. Fellow senior Cary Franklin kept his conference record unblemished, going 6-1, 6-0 over Robert Topalo at No. 1 and moving into fourth place in career singles victories with 106. In the last match of the day, junior Graydon Oliver battled back from a first-set loss and down a break in the second to win 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 against Ivica Primorac at No. 3. Sophomore Mike Kosta moved to 27-7 on the year with his 6-3, 6-2 win over Goran Topalo at No. 5.

In doubles, the 15th-ranked team of Laski and sophomore Jamal Parker defeated Kigongo and Trinidad 8-4 at No. 1. With 22 wins on the year, Laski and Parker jumped to eighth in most doubles victories in a season. Franklin and Oliver went 8-2 against Mark Findling and R. Topalo at No. 2 and Kosta and Matt Snyder won 8-3 at No. 3 over Jim McGuire and Primorac.

"I was more pleased with our performance today," Associate head coach Bruce Berque said. "We had good doubles, and I am especially happy with the effort of Graydon Oliver."

With the wins over Michigan State and No. 20 Michigan over the weekend, the Illini have won 37 consecutive league matches, the second longest streak in Big Ten history. Michigan holds the record with 49 straight conference wins from 1971-76. Getting a pair of doubles wins this weekend, Laski needs four victories to become the Illinois career leader. Franklin also earned two doubles wins and passed Gavin Sontag for third place on the all-time list.

Illinois visits Kentucky on Thursday. The match is slated for 2 p.m.

Illinois 5, Michigan State 2

1. Cary Franklin def. Robert Topalo 6-1, 6-0
2. Jeff Laski def. Ken Kigongo 6-4, 6-2 **
3. Graydon Oliver def. Ivica Primorac 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1
4. Jamal Parker lost to Francisco Trinidad 6-2, 6-2
5. Mike Kosta def. Goran Topalo 6-3, 6-2
6. Shawn Brooke lost to Todd Townsend 6-4, 6-2

1. Laski/Parker def. Kigongo/Trinidad 8-4
2. Franklin/Oliver def. Mark Findling/R. Topalo 8-2
3. Kosta/Matt Snyder def. Jim McGuire/Primorac 8-3

** clinching win