May 23, 2008

TULSA, Okla. - Senior Ryan Rowe and sophomore Billy Heiser of the Illinois men's tennis team ended their run in the NCAA Doubles Championship on Friday evening, falling in a three-set showdown to Ole Miss's No. 4 seed Erling Tveit and Jonas Berg at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.

Rowe and Heiser, ranked No. 11 in the nation, fell behind early by dropping the first set 3-6. The Illini tandem stormed back, dominating the second set 6-2 to force the match into a third set. At one moment in the third set, the Illini were up 5-3 and serving for the match, however the Rebels would not let up, winning the next four games to take the third set, 7-5, and the match. The Illini pair wrap-up the season with an overall record of 26-10.

Rowe ends his impressive career at Illinois fifth on the career doubles wins list with a 105-33 record. The Moline, Ill., native is a two-time All-American, a two-time NCAA Doubles Finalist and was the 2006 NCAA Doubles Champion with former partner Kevin Anderson.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TULSA, Okla. 05/22/08

Doubles
No. 4 Erling Tveit / Jonas Berg (OM) def. No. 11 Ryan Rowe / Billy Heiser (ILL); 6-3, 2-6, 7-5