By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Following a nearly two-week hiatus, the Tennessee Tech tennis team is set to hit the courts on Friday, as the Golden Eagles will head to Florida State for a doubleheader in Tallahassee. Tech's first contest with the Seminoles is slated for a 9 a.m. CT, while the second gathering is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. CT. Both matches will be played at the Scott Speicher Memorial Tennis Center.
Live stats are available for both tilts. Click here for the first match. Click here for the second match.
A look at Tennessee Tech
With only three matches in their back pocket, the Golden Eagles (0-3) will continue a trend against top-tier competition behind Friday's twin bill against another "Power 5" school. Tech's previous three matchups have been exclusively against the SEC with a 7-0 loss at nationally-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 16 and a double dip set back at the University of Alabama on Feb. 13.
Although the Golden Eagles haven't seized a singles point in the young campaign, the club's youth showed promise in the second meeting with the Tide. Rafael Tosetto fell 7-5 in the opening set of his No. 2 clash with Riccardo Roberto, but managed to take a 3-2 lead in the second set at the time the match was called. Freshman Evzen Holis also looked sharp in the No. 3 battle with Jeremy Gschwendtner after he was upended 6-4 in the first set and was trailing 5-3 in the second at the time things wrapped up.
Holis and Jun Sasagawa are responsible for the club's lone doubles triumph with a 6-4 victory in the No. 2 spot at Tennessee in the season opener.
A look at Florida State
After a strong start to the 2021 season, the Seminoles (3-5) have since dropped five consecutive contests prior to their meeting with Tech. FSU is coming off a pair of narrow losses to open ACC play with consecutive 4-3 defeats to Clemson on Feb. 19 and Georgia Tech on Feb. 21.
Marcus Walters has impressed with a team-leading 6-2 singles ledger, highlighted by a 4-1 mark out of the No. 5 position. Loris Pourroy has excelled at the top of the Seminole lineup, going 5-2 out of the No. 1 slot with a 5-3 mark overall. Sebastian Arcilla and Alex Knaff have proven to be the squad's most formidable doubles team, sporting a 2-1 record this spring with a perfect 2-0 showing out of the No. 2 spot.
Florida State leads the all-time series, 6-1, which includes a 5-2 nod on Feb. 22, 2020 in the two schools last get-together. Tech's lone win in the set was a 4-3 victory on Mar. 16, 2001 in Tallahassee.
Photo by Thomas Corhern