ANDERSON, S.C. - While riding its second four-match winning streak of the season, Anderson University men's tennis returns to action on Wednesday when it welcomes Wingate to the Upstate in a key South Atlantic Conference matchup. First serve from Max Grubbs Memorial Courts is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Trojans
With wins in its last four contests, Anderson comes into the week
with an 11-2 overall record, while holding an 8-1 mark in
conference play. The 8-1 record puts the Trojans in first place in
the current SAC standings with the best winning percentage (.889)
in the league. Wingate, Tusculum and Queens all follow AU with one
setback apiece.
The Trojans are 56-22 in singles this season, as sophomore Mateo Rivas and junior Inaki Iriberry lead the squad in victories on the year with 10 apiece. Both players have won seven of their last ten singles matches, but freshman Harrison Kansol holds the longest winning streak on the team, as he enters Wednesday's matchup with a perfect 9-0 record for the year. Kansol is 7-0 against SAC opponents, as all nine of his wins have come from the No. 6 slot.
In doubles, Iriberry and junior Paul Michael Calhoun continue to lead the Black and Gold in doubles wins with seven for the season. The tandem has claimed wins in their last three matches and is 7-2 in their last 10 appearances.
The Bulldogs
Despite Wingate's 9-5 overall record, the 'Dogs have dropped their
last two matches with setbacks to Queens (6-3) and nonconference
rival Mount Olive (6-3). WU is 7-1 in conference play this season,
as it has won 58 of its last 62 SAC matches, as the setback to
Queens snapped a streak of 19 straight conference wins.
Flippo Pezzoli holds the team-lead in singles victories on the year with a 12-1 record with 12 appearances at the No. 5 position. Pezzoli is a perfect 8-0 against the conference, as he joins Josh DuToit with flawless conference records, as DuToit is 7-0 while playing at the No. 6 spot. Teammates Sebastian Hall and Connor Kudrick is 7-1 in the conference, as Hall is projected to see action at No. 2 while Kudrick has played all 12 matches at No. 4 singles.
For the doubles round, Wingate has sent out 12 different pairs, as Hall and Neal Towlson leads the team in appearances with a 4-8 overall record. The team of Kudrick and Amir Zari leads the 'Dogs in doubles triumphs with five for the campaign.
The Series
In every match AU and Wingate has played since becoming conference
rivals in 2011, the score has been 5-4, with the Bulldogs holding a
4-1 record against the Trojans in four regular-season meetings and
a postseason matchup in 2011. Last season, WU pulled off another
narrow win after AU took a 2-1 advantage heading into the singles
round.
