By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team is set to start its longest homestand of the season, as the Golden Eagles will host two matches at Tech Tennis Courts over the weekend to begin a four-match stay in Cookeville. TTU will welcome Eastern Illinois to town for a Saturday Horizon League affair with the Panthers at 10 a.m. CT before greeting UNC Asheville in a non-conference clash on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Admission to both matches at Tech Tennis Courts is free of charge.
A look at Tennessee Tech
Following a rigorous non-conference campaign that saw the Tech (2-8, 2-0 HL) go winless in eight matches, which included six contests against nationally ranked opponents, the Golden Eagles have soared to start Horizon League play behind back-to-back victories to unwrap the conference slate. Tech topped Lindenwood 4-0 in the league opener in Cookeville on Mar. 30 before the purple and gold powered past Southern Indiana 6-1 in Evansville on Apr. 6.
Davids Spaks (No. 4 spot), Lucas Bitzer (No. 5 spot) and Darek Kuczynski (No.6 spot) all rattled off 2-0 singles starts to the conference schedule, helping provide the Golden Eagles with a formidable force at the bottom of the solo lineup. Kuczynski and Spaks have the most singles nods this spring thanks to three triumphs apiece.
As far as doubles play is concerned, the TTU tandems of both Bitzer and Spaks as well as Kuczynksi and Alex Alvarez have both begun 2-0 in Horizon League action. Throughout the season, the duo of Bitzer and Spaks have the best overall record behind a 4-2 account this year.
A look at Eastern Illinois
Before coming to Cookeville, the Panthers (3-17, 2-1 HL) will be in action in Nashville to go toe-to-toe with Tennessee State on Friday. EIU's battle with the Golden Eagles will be the club's final match of the regular season.
Eastern Illinois won its first two conference contests with back-to-back 5-2 victories at Lindenwood on Mar. 23 and at home against Southern Indiana on Mar. 30 before falling 7-0 at home to Belmont on Apr. 6 for the squad's first league defeat. William Hays, Cameron Slabbert and Thomas Wallace each have the best conference singles ledger with identical 2-1 marks, while Zach White leads the Panthers in total victories this spring with six nods.
Wallace has the most doubles wins thanks to eight tandem victories. The fifth-year Panther out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada has partnered up with Tyler Carlin to form EIU's most formidable duo, with the pair putting together a team-leading 4-3 record this year.
A look at UNC Asheville
Having already wrapped up their Big South slate, the Bulldogs (13-6, 3-1 Big South) head to Cookeville for the second-to-last match of the regular season. UNC Asheville will tie a ribbon on the regular year with a Monday, Apr. 15 meeting at Middle Tennessee.
Asheville will voyage to the Upper Cumberland after collecting a 5-2 victory over Presbyterian in the club's Big South finale on Apr. 8. The Bulldogs claimed the doubles point to go along with solo wins out of Freddy Murray, Sam Nicholson, Jon Brann Reid and Rafa Serra to move across the finish line. Murray possesses the team's best singles mark behind a 14-3 solo account, highlighted by an 11-1 record out of the top spot in the lineup.
As far as doubles play is concerned, the grouping of Jon Brann Reid and Rafa Serra own the club's best tandem ledger thanks to a 10-3 mark, all out of the top position in the lineup.
Inside the series
Tech has had the upper hand in the all-time series with Eastern Illinois behind a 25-1 record in the set. The Golden Eagles captured both get-togethers last year with a 6-1 win in Charleston on Mar. 19 and a 7-0 nod in Cookeville on Apr. 22.
Sunday's matchup with UNC Asheville will mark the ninth ever meeting in the all-time series. The two teams have played to a 4-4 stalemate after the Bulldogs claimed last season's battle 6-1 in Asheville.
Photo by Ariana Branstiter
