By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A busy weekend of bouts is on deck for the Tennessee Tech tennis team, as the Golden Eagles will end their lengthy layoff with three straight days of matches on the road. Tech will first take the trip to UNC Asheville for a Friday, 2 p.m. CT battle with the Bulldogs, before the purple and gold will clash with Presbyterian on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Furman on Sunday, also at 1 p.m.
Live stats for Sunday's match with the Paladins are available. Click here to view.
A look at Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles (0-4) will jump back onto the courts for the first time in nearly a month after Tech was last spotted at Liberty on Jan. 21 in a 6-1 defeat. The three-straight road tilts continue a trend for TTU that will feature eight consecutive contests away from Cookeville to open the spring.
Tech's initial road surge has featured a wealth of sturdy competition with nationally-ranked foes making up three of TTU's first four affairs. The Golden Eagles were upended twice by No. 11 Tennessee in a Jan. 14 doubleheader and were also downed by No. 9 Wake Forest on Jan. 16.
Tech has yet to play with a full squad on the young season, having to forfeit at least a point in all four matches. TTU's last tangle with Liberty saw the purple and gold forced to forfeit two points with only four available Golden Eagles in the mix. The meeting did feature Tech's first point of the year behind capturing the doubles points thanks to victories by the tandem of Elias Grubert and Jaime Paquet as well as Evzen Holis and Pol Masafret.
A look at UNC Ashville
The Bulldogs (3-2) entertain the Golden Eagles for the fourth straight battle against a team from the volunteer state. UNC Ashville lost 5-2 at Chattanooga on Feb. 10, knocked off Lipscomb 4-3 on Feb. 11 and fell 5-2 at Belmont on Feb. 12.
Freddy Murray leads the Bulldogs during singles play with a 4-1 solo account. The 5-foot-9 freshman has done a bulk of his work in the middle of the lineup behind a 1-0 record in the No. 3 spot, a 1-0 mark in the No. 4 position and a 2-1 showing in the No. 5 slot. Sam Nicholson has gone 3-1 out of the top spot in the singles order. Nicholson and Harry Thursfield have teamed up to go 4-0 during doubles action.
A look at Presbyterian
Before hosting Tech on Saturday, the Blue Hose (2-6) will travel to UNCG for a Friday meeting with the Spartans. Presbyterian's pair of wins this year have come against non-Division I schools with triumphs over Newberry and Lander. The squad has lost a series of close affairs with 4-3 defeats to Georgetown, Old Dominion, Georgia Tech and UNC Wilmington.
Dusan Milanovic is in the midst of a strong campaign that has seen the Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina native go 5-1 in singles play, all out of the top spot in the lineup. Teo Cariov has proven to be the best doubles competitor with a team-best 3-1 record, going 2-0 out of the No. 2 position and 1-1 out of the No. 3 slot.
A look at Furman
Before greeting the Golden Eagles on Sunday, the Paladins (3-4) host UAB on Saturday. Furman enters the weekend having won three of the last four with back-to-back wins over Belmont Abbey on Jan. 28 and a 4-3 victory over Jacksonville State on Feb. 11.
Cole Burnam leads the Paladins during singles action behind a 4-2 solo record, which includes a 1-0 mark in the No. 3 spot, a 1-2 record in the No. 5 position and a 2-0 ledger in the No. 6 slot. Jerry Barton is the only player to win in the No. 1 position thanks to a 2-2 record out of the top spot. Barton also possesses the best doubles record for Furman with a 6-1 mark.
Inside the series
UNC Asheville leads the all-time set 4-3, but the Golden Eagles have taken each of the last two meetings with a 5-2 win on Feb. 4, 2018 and a 6-1 triumph on Feb. 11, 2017.
Saturday's meeting with the Blue Hose will mark the second in the all-time series. Presbyterian claimed the first get-together with a 5-4 nod on Mar. 24, 1970.
Sunday's battle with the Paladins will be the third in the all-time set. Furman has captured each of the first two affairs, both by 6-1 margins in 1998 and 2000.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
