By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Following a brief break in its OVC slate, the Tennessee Tech tennis team is ready to jump back into conference play as the Golden Eagles head to Clarksville for a Friday matinee with Austin Peay. Tech's first road OVC match of the season is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CT.
TTU (6-6, 1-0) is coming off a 4-3 loss at North Florida Monday night in Jacksonville, narrowly falling to the Ospreys to put a lid on the squad's non-conference campaign. Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles did receive stellar showings from all three of their All-Conference first teamers from a year ago, as No. 85 Eduardo Mena, Alberto Esteban and Guillermo Nicolas all tallied wins in singles play.
Mena's nod over No. 58 Jack Findel-Hawkins was the junior's team-leading 10th this spring, while the wins for Esteban and Nicolas continued a hot-streak for the dynamic duo that will see them each enter Friday's contest on a three-match heater.
The Golden Eagles head to Clarksville with already one OVC match under their belt, a 7-0 victory over Eastern Illinois last Saturday. Not only did Tech blank the Panthers en route to the perfect start, but TTU didn't even drop a set to its conference counterparts. Mena, Esteban, Nicolas, Marcos Bernardes, Marc Mila and Carlos Tajes all notched singles victories, while Mena, Bernardes, Esteban and Nicolas took home doubles nods as well.
Bernardes has Tech's best doubles record with a 6-3 mark this spring.
Austin Peay hosts Tech in its conference home opener after splitting its first two OVC matches in Nashville. The Govs (4-9, 1-1) took down Tennessee State, 6-1, on Friday, before Belmont flipped the script with a 6-1 victory over APSU Saturday.
Sophomore Alex Kartsonis is the Govs' singles leader with six wins on the season, while seniors Aaron Jumonville and Manuel Montenegro have paced Austin Peay's doubles play this spring with five wins apiece.
Tech leads the all-time series with the Govs, 42-25, including last year's 7-0 win in Cookeville. TTU has captured five of the last six meetings.
Photo by Tony Marable
