May 11, 2009

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - For the second time in three years the Wake Forest men's tennis team will be playing in the NCAA Sweet 16. On May 14 the 18th-ranked Deacons will face the 6th-ranked Baylor Bears at 4 p.m. ET in College Station, Texas. Live scoring will be available at Texas A&M's Tournament Central.

Wake Forest advanced after a 4-0 sweep of Northwestern to open the tourney, followed by a 4-2 upset over 11th-ranked Kentucky, the host school of Wake's first two matches. The Demon Deacons are now 22-9, one victory away from setting a new season win record.

The Bears are 25-5, led at No. 1 singles by fourth-ranked Denes Lukacs. Baylor earned its seventh Big 12 Championship in April with a 4-3 win over Texas in the finals.

Wake Forest last advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2007.

"Everything's a process, this whole team a work in progress," head coach Jeff Zinn said.

"In Cory Parr's first year we went in little steps. Then in 2007 we made the Sweet 16 for the first time. The next step is getting through the Sweet 16 . I don't think you can reach success without losing before you get there. We lost during our first chance and now we understand a little more about what's happening and I think that will help us going into the Baylor match."

The winner of Thursday's Sweet 16 contest will move on to face the winner of Ohio State and Boise State in the quarterfinals on May 16 at 5 p.m. ET.

The NCAA Singles and Doubles championships will begin on May 20. Cory Parr will be representing Wake Forest in singles and Steven Forman will join in for doubles competition starting on May 21.

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