By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A rematch is in store for the Tennessee Tech tennis team, as the Golden Eagles will once again contend with Southern Indiana on Saturday, Apr. 8 in the second of back-to-back tangles with the Screaming Eagles. This time the scene will shift to Cookeville, with first serve from Tech Tennis Courts scheduled for 2 p.m. CT. Admission is free of charge.

A look at Tennessee Tech

In the first of a home-and-home battle with USI, the Golden Eagles (4-11, 4-1 HL) prevailed with a 5-2 victory in Evansville, Ind. on Apr. 1. In the clash with Southern Indiana, Tech secured four nods during singles play behind wins by Mika Berghuas (No. 1), Elias Grubert (No. 2), Evzen Holis (No. 3) and Jaime Paquet (No. 6). TTU also captured the doubles point thanks to a Holis/Paquet triumph in the No. 2 position and a Berghaus/Masafret decision in the No. 3 spot.

Berghaus enters Saturday's affair on a Golden Eagle best six-match singles winning streak and is the only TTU player to have a perfect record in Horizon League play behind a 5-0 conference record, all out of the top slot. Grubert, Holis and Paquet have all captured four-of-five solo battles during league play.

As far as doubles play is concerned, Masafret continues to have an impactful tandem rookie season with a squad-leading 7-2 record this spring. Masafret has partnered with Berghaus in all five conference matches and the pair has combined to go 4-1 in those tilts.

A look at Southern Indiana

In USI's most recent matchup with the purple and gold, the Screaming Eagles (5-12, 1-4 HL) claimed a pair of singles points thanks to a Lucas Sakamaki victory in the No. 4 bout and a Yahor Bahdanovic win in the No. 5 meeting. Like Tech, Saturday's match will mark the only contest of the week for Southern Indiana.

Sakamaki's solo nod was his fifth of the season to put him in a three-way tie for second-most on the squad along with Omar ElSamahy and Alfrendo Vogelaar. Bahdanovich's triumph was his team-leading sixth singles win this spring.

Sakamaki and ElSamahy partnered up to secure USI's lone doubles nod over the Golden Eagles with a victory in the No. 1 position. The duo is 2-2 this spring, with the win serving as the only time the pair has performed together during a Horizon League match. Overall, Quinten Gillespie has the most doubles wins this spring behind a 6-6 mark.  

Inside the series

After never having met on the courts in each program's history, the two clubs will greet for the second time in eight days. The Golden Eagles topped the Screaming Eagles 5-2 in Evansville, Ind. on Apr. 1.

Photo by Jim Dillon