ANDERSON, S.C. - After a 19-day layoff, Anderson University men's tennis returns to action and to its South Atlantic Conference schedule on Thursday with a meeting with Brevard. First serve from Max Grubbs Memorial Courts is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Trojans
AU is currently on a two-match winning streak after claiming wins
over conference opponents Tusculum (5-4) and Mars Hill (8-1). With
the two straight wins, the Trojans hold a 3-1 record in league
play, joining three other teams with just one SAC loss on the year.
Overall, Anderson is 3-4 on the year, falling to two Peach Belt
Conference schools and Division I power, Clemson.
Breaking through with their first collegiate singles wins on the year were freshmen Juan Carracedo and Mateo Rivas, both posting triumphs against Mars Hill. After the duo posted a 9-8 (7-5) victory at No. 1 doubles, Rivas turned around and notched a 6-3, 6-4 win over MHU's Alberto Ortiz at the No. 3 position. At No. 1 singles, Carracedo claimed a 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 win over Euquerio Guerreo, who entered the weekend with just one loss and a win over a Division I player.
Carracedo and Rivas led the way to a 6-0 singles round for AU, as sophomores Tomas Passalacqua (No. 2), Paul Michael Calhoun (No. 4) and Inaki Iriberry (No. 5) joined Danilo Faria (No. 6) with straight-set wins to propel AU to the 8-1 win.
The Tornados
Prior to the start of the 2014 season, Brevard was picked 11th in
the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll, released on Jan. 30. With the
low ranking, the Tornados were just one of three teams in the
league who failed to have a player listed on the preseason
all-conference teams. Last season, BC finished the year 2-17 and
went winless in league matches.
This season, the Tornados have struggled throughout the year, entering Thursday's match with a 1-8 record and a 0-1 mark in SAC action. BC's lone win of the season came during its spring break when it participated in three matches in Hilton Head, S.C., as the Tornados knocked off Misericordia University, 9-0, on March 5. Since the win, Brevard has dropped three-straight matches, including a narrow 5-4 setback to conference foe, Newberry.
Against the Wolves, Brevard dropped all three doubles contests, but fought back in the singles round as sophomore David Taggart posted a three-set win at the No. 1 position. BC's No. 3 player, Nathan Sabate, notched a 6-4, 6-1 victory, while the bottom of the lineup in Guilherme Prophirio (No. 5) and George Finch (No. 6) each nabbed straight-set wins.
The Series
Since joining the SAC before the start of the 2011 season, Anderson
is a perfect 3-0 against Brevard in the regular season and 1-0 in
SAC Tournament action. In the last two seasons, AU has posted
identical 6-3 wins after a hard-fought 5-4 win over the Tornados in
the final SAC match of the 2011 season. After the narrow win in
2011, the Trojans eliminated BC from the postseason with a 5-2
victory in the opening round of the conference tournament.
