Although fall tournaments serve as a preseason for the Penn State Men's Tennis team, head coach Jan Bortner does not lower his expectations for his 2003 squad that finished 14-11 overall (2-8 Big Ten) after 2002-2003 play.

"I hope to do well in the ECAC championships, which is a 16 team event that ranks the teams for their performance during fall play," Bortner said. "I hope to finish in the top four."

Six of the nine players on the Penn State roster are returning from last year's squad, five of whom saw a lot of playing time last spring. Perhaps the hardest spot to fill is that of sophomore Nate Emge (22-10 overall, 3-4 Big Ten), who played at No. 1 singles and No. 3 doubles. Emge transferred to Kentucky after classes ended last spring.

According to Bortner though, because tennis is such a unique team sport, the No. 1 spot is just as important as every other match.

"Any guy who wins a match gets the job done no matter what number he is at," Bortner said. "It's not like basketball where one guy can score all the points. You have to put six guys out there and whether he plays at one or four it's insignificant."

Although the team lost key competitors in both singles and doubles play, the holes are sure to be filled.

"We have three guys coming in, which should make the team even stronger," sophomore Mark Barry said. "We also have a lot of depth."

Three freshmen will compete in fall play this season. Among the trio is freshman Ryan Berger who was named a High School All-American.

"They [the freshmen] all have national credentials," Bortner said. "They all have the opportunity to come in and contribute right away."

The team has only been practicing for about a week now, hence no decisions were made on who will play where. Challenge matches began yesterday and Bortner will decide on starting positions as the week progresses.

Bortner was also hesitant in naming standout players because of the limited amount of practice time he has spent with his team thus far.

"I hate to say that [who will stand out] because I could list every player for right now," Bortner said. "Roddy Cantey, [Mark] Barry, [Todd] Stecko, [Clint] Keithly, [Malcolm] Scatliffe, [Jimmy] Crowell and then the three freshmen."

One aspect of the team that has been established is team unity and support.

"We all get along really well on and off the court," Keithly said. "We get great support from each other and our parents so we can concentrate more on playing tennis."

Perhaps the biggest challenge will be getting the team back to playing at an intense level although most of the athletes competed in tournaments at home throughout the summer.

"Getting the guys in tip top shape, getting the rust off, and working on technique [is most important]," Bortner said.

The team's focus for improvement during fall play is concentrated mainly on improving technique as well as working on doubles combinations.

"Just as it is in the U.S. Open, serving and returning serves is a big deal," Keithly said. "That's something we need to work on."

Penn State will open its season on Friday at the Navy Fall Invitational in Annapolis, Md.