COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Golden Eagle tennis team plays its first Ohio Valley Conference match on Saturday, visiting Jacksonville State for an 11 a.m. contest. Tech, 2-4 in dual matches this spring, was picked to finish second in the OVC race this spring while the Gamecocks, 3-5, were tabbed for a third-place finish.

The match will feature five of the players listed in the league's preseason Top 10, including three Golden Eagles. Tech's Alex Chen is listed third, Josh Girling fourth and Justin Kirstein tied for 10th. Chen is currently 4-2 in dual matches in 2011 and 6-9 overall this year. Girling has the top record on the squad to date at 11-9, despite a 1-4 mark in dual action. Kirstein has posted a 7-10 overall record in singles play, including a 1-5 mark in dual matches.

For JSU, Brian Kenyon was placed seventh on the chart and Axel Sundberg is tied for 10th. Kenyon owns a 4-4 mark in dual matches this year while Sundberg is 2-5.

Following their match at JSU, the Golden Eagles will be out of action for nearly a month before hosting their first home contest of the seaspn. The next match on the schedule is March 20 when Tech hosts Eastern Illinois at 12 noon.