ANDERSON, S.C. - After earning back-to-back South Atlantic Conference victories to close February, Anderson University men's tennis jumps back into its nonconference schedule when it welcomes archrival Erskine to Max Grubbs Memorial Courts on Monday in search of a Beville Cup point. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m.
The Trojans
AU is coming off a 7-2 victory over SAC rival Mars Hill on Saturday
and improved to 5-1 on the season with a perfect 3-0 mark in
conference play. The 3-0 start to the conference slate marks the
first time since the 2013 season Anderson has won its first three
conference matches, as it eventually closed that year with an 8-1
league record.
Three Trojans hold five singles wins on the year, as juniors Paul Michael Calhoun and Inaki Iriberry join sophomore Mateo Rivas with 5-1 records, as Rivas is a perfect 3-0 while playing at the No. 2 position. Calhoun and Iriberry have stayed put all season, as Calhoun is 5-1 at No. 4, while Iriberry holds the same mark at the No. 5 slot.
In doubles, the newly paired tandem of Nicolas Ascarrunz and Juan Carracedo has shined at the No. 2 position, as they are tied for the team-lead in doubles victories with a 3-1 record. The duo is currently tied with Iriberry and Alex Wallace who hold a 3-1 mark at the No. 3 slot.
The Flying Fleet
Erskine has gotten off to a slow start to the season, as it has
dropped its opening three matches. After a 9-0 setback to North
Georgia to open the season, the Fleet suffered back-to-back
Conference Carolinas losses to Belmont Abbey (5-4) and King (6-3).
Monday's contest will be EC's first road match of the season after
its previously scheduled road matches with Barton and Mount Olive
were postponed due to inclement weather.
Erskine is 5-13 as a team in the singles round, as no Fleet player has recorded multi-wins on the season. Without a win at the No. 1 position on the young season, Jason Harris and Wilson Mathewes boast a win apiece at the No. 2 position.
In the doubles, Harris and Mathewes have posted two wins at the No. 1 slot, as the pair claimed wins over BAC and King. Despite the two victories, the rest of the team has not recorded a doubles win on the season.
The Series
Anderson has claimed the Beville Cup point in men's tennis in 11
straight seasons, not including a Conference Carolinas Tournament
victory in 2008. Last season, the Trojans posted a hard-fought 5-4
victory in Due West, marking the smallest margin of victory in the
storied rivalry.
