By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Off to a torrid pace in its 2016 conference campaign, the Tennessee Tech tennis team searches to keep perfection alive as the Golden Eagles flock north for their final two road matches of the regular season. Tech (9-6, 5-0) will tangle with SIUE Friday at 1:30 p.m. CT, before battling Eastern Illinois Saturday at 11 a.m. to close out the two-match road swing.
A pair of wins up north would ensure the Golden Eagles at least a share of the OVC regular season title.
TTU put itself in a position for yet another conference crown, potentially the fourth in the last five seasons, after mowing down a pair of stiff competitors at home last weekend to make it 13-straight OVC regular season victories. On Apr. 1 Tech disposed of Morehead State, 6-1, taking out an Eagles squad that came in with a perfect 4-0 OVC mark. It was a similar script a day later as the Golden Eagles steamed past Eastern Kentucky, 5-2, in a battle between the two clubs picked as co-preseason No. 1 in the conference.
Sophomore Eduardo Mena was once again at the forefront of Tech's dominance, racking up four wins in the pair of tilts with two doubles and two singles victories. The stellar showing led the Bultrago del Lozoya, Spain native to the adidas® OVC Male Tennis Athlete of the Week award, his third this season.
Mena is now a gaudy 14-1 this spring and 27-5 overall in singles action this year, dating back to the fall.
Freshman Guillermo Nicolas has matched Mena's perfect conference slate with an undefeated 5-0 mark in the OVC, while sophomores Jorge Alfonzo and Marcos Bernardes are each 4-1 in singles play. TTU has also not dropped a doubles clash in its conference campaign, coming into the weekend a perfect 10-0.
SIUE (7-11, 3-2) has collected wins in two of the last three matches after upending Murray State on Mar. 26, before splitting the first two of a four-match home stand with a win over Tennessee State and a loss to Belmont last weekend.
Senior Patrick Gaffigan, who shared this week's Male Tennis Athlete of the Week honor with Mena, and sophomore Jack Desse, have paced the Cougar conference charge with 4-1 OVC singles records. Senior Nico Kuehn and freshman Dan Lineberry have posted 3-1 conference marks.
The Golden Eagles have never lost to SIUE, entering Friday's contest with a 5-0 record.
Before its battle with Tech on Saturday, Eastern Illinois (3-12, 1-4) is set to welcome Jacksonville State to Charleston on Friday, hoping to snap a three-match slide that has featured a trio of 4-3 losses. Despite the recent struggles, senior Robert Skolik has proven to be a bright side for EIU, entering the weekend with an unblemished 5-0 conference record in singles play.
TTU has controlled the all-time set with the Panthers, seizing 16 of the previous 17 matchups in the series.