By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team continues its season-opening road swing with its first in-state battle of the 2022 spring campaign, as the Golden Eagles will travel to Lipscomb for a Friday night showdown with the Bisons. First serve in Nashville is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
A look at Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles (0-4) head into Friday evening's affair on the heels of a grueling start to the season that has featured four straight nationally-ranked opponents to open the year. Tech opened things up with a pair of losses at the hands of No. 10 Wake Forest on Jan. 9, before the purple and gold were downed in both matches of a doubleheader on Feb. 6 at No. 19 Mississippi State.
TTU has collected one point in the quartet of contests, courtesy of an Elias Grubert singles nod over MSU's Carles Hernandez in the No. 3 position on Sunday.
Since the Golden Eagles were last spotted on the courts, TTU highlighted the OVC's annual men's tennis predicted order of finish and preseason player top 10 poll, announced by the conference Tuesday morning. Tech was predicted to capture the conference's regular-season crown for the ninth time in the last 11 full seasons in a poll voted on among the OVC's five head coaches.
TTU boasted a league-leading six selections in the preseason player top 10, which included four Golden Eagles in the top five. Carlos Vicente headlined the list with a No. 1 ranking, while Elias Grubert was selected in the No. 3 spot, Evzen Holis in the No. 4 position and Rafael Tosetto in the No. 5 slot. Andre Rodeia was selected in the No. 9 spot and Mika Berghaus rounded out the poll with a No. 10 selection.
A look at Lipscomb
Friday's match will mark the Bisons (1-3) third get-together with a member of the OVC, with the club having split the first two contests. Lipscomb fell 5-2 to Belmont on Jan. 28 and picked up a 7-0 victory over Austin Peay on Jan. 29 for its only win of the spring. The Bisons also dropped tilts to Butler and Vanderbilt.
Alex Mesquida picked up the only point in Sunday's loss at Vandy behind a 7-6, 7-6 triumph in the No. 5 singles battle. The Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain product is the lone Bison to collect three solo nods this spring, going 3-1 over the first four matches.
Inside the series
Friday night will mark the 39th meeting in the all-time set. The Golden Eagles hold a 26-12 edge in the series and have won four straight and 10 of the last 11.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
