Wednesday, October 04, 2006

TULSA, Okla. -- Marcus Echtler won in straight sets for the third straight day to advance past the qualifying stages of the Polo Ralph Lauren All-American Tennis Championships in Tulsa, Okla. on Wednesday.

Echtler, ranked #75 in the country and last year’s Atlantic Sun Conference men’s tennis Player of the Year, defeated #78 Eidy Igarashi, 6-4, 6-4 to continue his impressive run in the tournament.

"Marcus played an outstanding match today," said Stetson Head Coach Pierre Pilote. "He held his serve with ease and broke Igarashi with aggressive play."

The win for Echtler moves him out of the qualifying stage and into the Main Draw of the ITA Championships. The top 48 players in the nation were given a spot in the Main Draw, with the remaining 16 of the 64-player field having to qualify.

"It a great accomplishment for Marcus to make it the main draw and the final 64," said Pilote. "The tournament started with more the 270 of the best players in the nation, and now Marcus is where he belongs, with the very best. In my opinion, this group of players is stronger than the one at the NCAA championships."

The Main Draw takes place October 5-8. Echtler's next opponent will be determined later on Wednesday.