COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team prepares to take part in the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Championships this weekend, opening play on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m CT at the Centennial Sportsplex Tennis Center in Nashville. The Golden Eagles earned a first-round bye on Friday and will play the winner of the match between Austin Peay and Morehead State.

The Golden Eagles are sticking to the lineup which won a share of the regular season title with an 8-1 record, with junior Alex Arovin in the No.1 spot. Freshman Eduardo Mena follows in the No. 2 spot, with sophomore Alberto Esteban, and junior Alvaro Cintas following. Freshmen Carlos Tajes and Jorge Alfonzo wrap up in the No. 5 and 6 spots, respectively.

In the doubles matches, the tandem of Arovin and Esteban will hold down the No.1 spot, while senior Artem Tarasov and Cintas team-up to fill the No. 2 spot. The freshman duo of Alfonzo and Mena close out the double pairings in the No. 3 spot.

SETTING THE STAGE

The Golden Eagles won't know their opponent until late Friday afternoon, as APSU and Morehead State face-off at 2 p.m. on Friday.

Tech faced the MSU Eagles in early March in Morehead, Ky., winning the match, 5-2. The Golden Eagles earned the doubles point, and earned points in the No. 2, 3, 5, and 6 matches.  Tech is on a 10-match win-streak over the Eagles dating back to the 2006 season. If the Golden Eagles were to face MSU, it would be the first time they met in the tournament since 2001, when Tech won 4-0.

Should Tech face APSU, it will be a rematch of the final match of the regular season, where the Golden Eagles and Governors matched up to see who would earn a share of the 2015 OVC regular season title. The Golden Eagles won in Clarksville, Tenn., 5-2.  Tech is on a four-match win-streak over the Govs dating back to 2012. However, the last time the Golden Eagles lost to Austin Peay was in the 2011 OVC Tourament in Paducah, Ky.

All tournament information can be found on the 2015 OVC Tennis Championship page HERE