By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A two-match weekend is in the cards for the Tennessee Tech tennis team, as the Golden Eagles prepare to host Youngstown State on Friday before renewing their rivalry at No. 39 Middle Tennessee State on Sunday. TTU's tussle with YSU in Cookeville is scheduled to start at noon CT, while Sunday's gathering in Murfreesboro is slated to begin at 5 p.m.
Admission to Tech Tennis Courts is free of charge.
A look at Tennessee Tech
In search of their first victory of the spring, the Golden Eagles (0-6) have squared off with four nationally ranked opponents throughout their rigorous non-conference ledger. TTU has dropped tilts at No. 9 Tennessee, No. 21 Alabama, No. 45 Arkansas and No. 52 Vanderbilt.
Tech's latest defeat was at the hands of No. 45 Arkansas in Sunday's neutral-site meeting in Knoxville. The Golden Eagles were upended by the Razorbacks in their first tilt in the month of March after their Mar. 2 home affair against Texas Tech was cancelled due to court conditions brought on by inclement weather.
Tech's Friday contest with Youngstown State will mark the club's second clash in Cookeville following a 5-2 defeat to Presbyterian in the home opener on Feb. 25. The Golden Eagles are a combined 46-5 in their last 51 home matches at Tech Tennis Courts.
Three different Golden Eagles have secured a solo victory this spring, with Murilo Burckhardt and Darek Kuczynski collecting nods in the loss to Presbyterian, and Davids Spaks picking up a win in a 5-2 defeat at UAB on Feb. 1. The tangle with the Blazers marked the only time this season in which the purple and gold have captured the doubles point.
A look at Youngstown State
The Penguins (5-6) will wrap a busy week on the courts in Friday's affair in Cookeville in the finale of three matches in three days for YSU. The Penguins picked up a 4-3 win at Lipscomb on Wednesday, but were upended 5-2 vs. Troy in Thursday's neutral-site gathering in Clarksville.
Onder Balci has paced the Penguins during singles play behind an 8-3 solo account that has featured a 7-0 record in the No. 4 spot for the Antalya, Turkey native. Nathan Favier and William Rassat make up the other pair of Penguins with a winning singles mark, with Favier posting a 6-5 ledger this spring and Rassat earning a 5-4 record this year.
The tandem of Balci and Nishant Dabas have proven to be the top doubles duo thanks to a 5-2 mark this season, with the pair combining to go 3-2 out of the top spot and 2-0 in the No. 2 position.
A look at No. 39 Middle Tennessee
Before greeting the Golden Eagles in Murfreesboro, the Blue Raiders (11-7) will hook up with South Florida in Tampa on Thursday before hosting Louisville on Sunday at 1 p.m. MTSU has notched wins in each of their last two contests behind a 7-0 nod over Austin Peay on Feb. 27 and a 4-1 triumph against Texas Tech on Mar. 1.
Leo Raquin has the most singles wins this spring with a 10-6 overall record, playing exclusively in the top slot in the Blue Raider lineup. Jackub Kroslak has the best overall solo mark thanks to an 8-2 account, having done a majority of his damage in the No. 5 position with a perfect 5-0 ledger.
Raquin and Ondrej Horak have formed the squad's top doubles duo, having gone 12-1 this year. The pair has put together a 5-1 record in the No. 1 position, a 3-0 mark in the No. 2 spot and a 4-0 register in the No. 3 slot.
Inside the series
In a series that dates back to 1976, the Golden Eagles and Penguins have met seven previous times with Tech holding a 5-2 edge in the set in a battle of former conference foes during YSU's days in the OVC. TTU has won three straight meetings, including an 8-1 nod in the last get-together on Apr. 17, 1988.
Also former conference opponents, MTSU has a 50-25 lead in the all-time series with the purple and gold. The Blue Raiders have won eight straight in the set, including a 4-0 victory in Murfreesboro in the last clash on Apr. 14, 2023.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
