By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team continues its challenging non-conference schedule, as the Golden Eagles head to Tallahassee for a Saturday morning showdown at No. 26 Florida State in the club's lone match of the week. First serve at the Scott Speicher Memorial Tennis Center is set for a 11 a.m.
Live stats for Saturday's contest will be available. Click here to view.
A look at Tennessee Tech
Saturday's get-together at No. 26 Florida State will mark Tech's sixth tilt against a nationally ranked opponent in 10 total contests this spring. The Golden Eagles (1-8) have already squared off twice with No. 10 Wake Forest, twice with No. 19 Mississippi State and once with No. 23 Middle Tennessee in the club's last contest on Mar. 13.
All nine matches this spring have been on the road for the purple and gold, with Saturday's meeting at FSU concluding the squad's season-opening stretch away from Cookeville. TTU will open up its home action on Mar. 31 against Chattanooga in the first of a two-match homestand that will also see the purple and gold lock up with Eastern Illinois on Apr. 2.
Andre Rodeia has paced the Golden Eagles with three singles nods this year, while Mika Berghaus and Elias Grubert are the team's doubles leaders with three tandem victories apiece.
A look at No. 26 Florida State
The Seminoles (11-6, 2-4 ACC) have had their own arduous slate of late that has featured six straight matches with nationally-ranked foes, all in the squad's ACC schedule. FSU is coming off a 4-3 loss at No. 47 Louisville on Mar. 20 after knocking off No. 23 Notre Dame 4-2 on Mar. 18.
No. 45 Loris Pourroy is the Seminole leader in singles play with an 11-2 mark, playing exclusively in the top spot in the Florida State lineup. Youcef Rihane is the only other Seminole with double digit solo triumphs behind an 10-5 mark, doing a brunt of the damage toward the back of the lineup.
As far as doubles play is concerned, Josh Karpenschif and Maks Silagy lead the club with a 9-3 tandem mark.
Inside the series
Saturday's clash will represent the 10th meeting in the all-time set between the two schools. FSU has an 8-1 edge in the series, with Tech's only win in the set coming back on Mar. 16, 2001 with a 4-3 triumph in Tallahassee. Saturday will also be the fourth get-together between the two programs over the last three years. FSU captured 6-1 and 4-3 victories in a doubleheader on Feb. 26, 2021 and the Seminoles also seized a 5-2 win on Feb. 22, 2020.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
