By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team is finally set for its home opener, as the Golden Eagles will appear in Cookeville for the first time this season with a Sunday meeting against Presbyterian on the books. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. CT and admission to Tech Tennis Courts is free of charge.
A look at Tennessee Tech
TTU's home opener comes on the heels of a rigorous four-match road swing that featured three SEC opponents and two nationally ranked foes to kick start the spring. The Golden Eagles (0-4) were upended by No. 6 Tennessee, Vanderbilt, UAB and No. 21 Alabama in Tech's most recent tangle on Feb. 3 in Tuscaloosa.
Blanked in three of the four contests, TTU picked up a pair of points in its Feb. 1 loss at UAB that saw the Golden Eagles secure the doubles point to go along with a Davids Spaks 6-2, 6-3 solo nod in the No. 5 spot. Spaks and Lucas Bitzer also notched a 6-2 victory in tandem action in addition to an Alex Alvarez and Paulo Ramos Martin doubles triumph that led TTU to the tandem point against the Blazers.
The Golden Eagles have historically excelled in Cookeville, going a combined 46-4 over their last 50 matches at Tech Tennis Courts.
TTU's 23-day layoff in between matches will serve as the longest hiatus in between contests that Tech will see this season.
A look at Presbyterian
Unlike the Golden Eagles, the Blue Hose (4-4) will have quite the opposite in terms of a layoff having played on Saturday in a 4-3 loss at Chattanooga. Presbyterian claimed the doubles point to take an early edge in the match over the Mocs, but UTC responded with three straight singles victories to take a 3-1 advantage. Pedro Cardoso and David Mamalat provided PC with singles points to square the score at 3-3, but Javier Matos was tripped up in three sets in the No. 1 singles bout to give Chattanooga the win.
Cardoso and Mamalat have sat atop the singles leaderboard for the Blue Hose this season with identical 5-3 solo marks. Matos possesses a 4-4 singles ledger, while Denim Yadav is also 4-4.
Presbyterian is a perfect 4-0 at home, but has yet to pick up a road victory this season behind an 0-4 mark away from Clinton, S.C.
Inside the series
Sunday's get-together will mark the third-ever meeting in the all-time series. Tech captured the first matchup with a 5-4 decision on Mar. 24, 1970, before Presbyterian evened the set with a 7-0 triumph last year in Clinton.
Photo by TTU Marketing
