Oct. 25, 2004

Ann Arbor, Mich. - Junior Ryler DeHeart and sophomore GD Jones moved onto the finals in the doubles competition on Monday at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships at the University of Michigan's Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. DeHeart reached the semifinals in singles competition after winning his singles match today.

"They showed some strength in their match last night, but I still feel they haven't played their best yet," said Illinois associate head coach Brad Dancer about the Illini doubles team. "They have a chance to complete a great week tomorrow. Eberly and Wilson from Ohio State will be a great challenge in tomorrow's final."

In doubles, the top seeded DeHeart/Jones duo defeated Kyle Markham and Brett Taylor of Iowa in their quarterfinal match winning 8-6. The semifinal featured another Big Ten foe in 11th seeded Nick Rinks and Andrew Formanczyk from Michigan State. The Illini made light work of the Rinks/Formanczyk pair, 8-4. The Illinois tandem moves to 9-2 on the season and has a chance to capture the first title for the Illini this fall.

DeHeart, ranked No. 95 and seeded second, demonstrated more of his stellar play in the quarterfinal match against Western Michigan's Jose Orozco dominating the matchup 6-1, 6-1. DeHeart moves to 11-1 on the year and finds himself in the midst of a busy day tomorrow with the doubles final, singles semifinal and possible final. Jones, ranked 111th nationally and seeded third in the tournament, was unable to pull through for an all-Illini semifinal match as he fell to No. 116 Devin Mullings from Ohio State in the round of eight 7-5, 6-1.

"Ryler's match today may have been the highlight of this tournament so far," Dancer said. "He had the pedal-to-the-metal from the beginning as he really came after him early and never let up the entire match. Ryler's weapons were too big to handle today."

The players will be back in action tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. EST. DeHeart will face Mullings from Ohio State, while the doubles pair challenge for the championship after the singles semifinal against Buckeye's Eberly/Wilson combo.

Singles Main Draw Results
No. 95 (2) Ryler DeHeart (ILL) def. Jose Orozco (W. Michigan); 6-1, 6-1
No. 116 (13) Devin Mullings def. No. 111 (3) GD Jones (ILL); 7-5, 6-1

Doubles Main Draw Results
No. 17 (1) DeHeart/Jones (ILL) def. Markham/Taylor (Iowa); 8-6
No. 17 (1) DeHeart/Jones (ILL) def. (11) Rinks/Formanczyk (MSU); 8-4