By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It's not your average Saturday for the Tennessee Tech tennis team. Not only do the Golden Eagles kick start OVC play with a 10:30 a.m. CT matchup with Eastern Illinois, but the tilt is also the 2017 home opener for head coach Kenny Doyle's bunch.
After spending the first 10 matches away from Cookeville, TTU (5-5) will finally christen Tech Tennis Courts this spring, a place that has been more than generous for the Golden Eagles of late. In fact, Tech has redefined "home court advantage," as TTU is the proud owner of a 31-3 home record over the last eight years.
Tech enters the conference opener with as much momentum as anyone in the OVC, having captured four of the last five regular season championships, highlighted by last year's OVC Tournament championships as well. The Golden Eagles registered a perfect, 9-0, conference campaign a season ago, the squad's third undefeated march through the OVC in the last five seasons.
Last year's OVC Player of the Year, junior Eduardo Mena, is up to his old tricks this spring, pacing the Golden Eagles with an 8-2 singles record, all out of the No. 1 spot. In doubles action, fellow junior Marcos Bernardes is the leader in the clubhouse with a 5-2 mark, picking up right where left off in the fall after going 7-3 in tandem play.
Before scooting to Cookeville, EIU will open its conference circuit with a trip to Jacksonville State Friday afternoon. The Panthers (2-13) have dropped five in a row heading into the weekend.
Possessing a bevy of freshmen with five of the nine on the roster in their first season, rookie Marko Stefan Janjusic leads the Panther charge with six singles wins.
TTU has controlled the all-time series with Eastern Illinois to the tune of a 17-1 overall record against the Panthers. The Golden Eagles captured last year's affair, 6-1, in Charleston, Ill. Tech dropped the doubles point, before storming back to win all six singles battles with Eduardo Mena, Alberto Esteban, Guillermo Nicolas, Marcos Bernardes, Jorge Alfonzo and Carlos Tajes all notching wins.
Admission to Saturday's match at Tech Tennis Courts is free of charge.
Photo by Jim Dillon
