COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - It was a one, two punch for the Tennessee
Tech tennis teams this week as sophomores Dean O'Brien and Kelly
Holtzhausen took home both weekly awards as announced by the Ohio
Valley Conference.
"They both played extremely well last week," said coach Dan
Silverstein. "I am not suprised that they have been given this
honor."
Holtzhausen earned her first OVC honor this season after leading
Tech last week in picking up its first OVC win of the season with a
convincing 5-2 win over Morehead State in the team’s OVC
opener. She opened the week dropping only three games in a 6-1, 6-2
win at Chattanooga. Holtzhausen opened OVC play with a 6-2, 6-4 win
against Madeleinne Anterro and then finished up her week with a
6-4, 6-2 win over UT Martin’s Martie Wahl.
She also went 2-1 in doubles with wins over Chattanooga and
Morehead State. Holtzhausen is undefeated this spring at 7-0 in
singles.
No. 102 O’Brien went a perfect 4-0 at the top spot while not
dropping a set. He first rebounded from his only loss this spring
to the No. 12 player from Georgia Tech to down Chattanooga.
O’Brien picked up three wins in three days including the
first two to open not only home play this season, but OVC play as
well. With a 10-1 record, O’Brien is five wins shy of tying
his own season wins mark in singles.
This is the second week in a row that O'Brien has earned the weekly
OVC honor.
Both teams will return to the court on Saturday when they travel to
Jacksonville State. Tech men (6-5, 2-0 OVC) will face the team that
eliminated them from the OVC Tournament last season. The Tech women
(2-5, 1-1 OVC) will have to defend themselves to the team that they
elimated in the first round of the OVC Tournament last year.