By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team will leave the Volunteer State for the first time this season as the Golden Eagles head to North Carolina for a Saturday battle at UNC Asheville. The match is slated to begin at noon CT from the Asheville Racquet Club.
After a 13-day hiatus following a season-opening 4-3 win at Lipscomb, Tech (3-2) jumped back into action with a busy weekend that saw the Golden Eagles play three matches in three days, going 1-2 during the span.
TTU fell 4-2 at Chattanooga on Feb. 3, before bouncing back with a 4-1 nod over Georgia Southern in a Saturday neutral site affair in Chattanooga. The University of Tennessee got the better of the Golden Eagles in Sunday's tilt that put a lid on the active stretch, however junior Eduardo Mena remained perfect in singles play with a three-set win over UT's No. 1, Timo Stodder, to account for Tech's lone point in the match.
Mena's undefeated mark has vaulted him up the No. 66th ranked singles player in the nation, scooting up 28 spots in the latest Oracle/ITA Collegiate rankings.
Before tangling with Tech, UNC Ashville (3-2) will welcome King University for a Friday afternoon affair as the Bulldogs hope to snap a two-match slide, following back-to-back 5-2 losses to East Carolina and Appalachian State. Sophomore Henry Patten is a perfect 5-0 in singles play with all five victories occurring out of the No. 1 spot.
Patten also joins sophomore Olly Cull and seniors Dillon Reid and Josh Swindler atop the club's doubles rankings with all three Bulldogs posting a team-best 4-1 mark.
Saturday will mark the sixth straight year the two squads will lock up, the only six meetings in the all-time series. The Golden Eagles captured the first one with a 4-3 win in 2012, but Asheville has responded with a four-match win streak, including a narrow 4-3 edge in last year's get together in the Tar Heel State.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
