April 4, 2012

Showdown time: Unbeaten Tech hosts unbeaten Austin Peay at 1 p.m.

Much is at stake when the Tennessee Tech and Austin Peay tennis teams step onto the TTU Campus Courts Tuesday for an OVC Showdown at 1 p.m. Both teams come into the contest with 5-0 records in conefrence play.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Much is at stake Tuesday afternoon when unbeaten Tennessee Tech hosts unbeaten Austin Peay at 1 p.m. in an Ohio Valley Conference tennis match. Tech and APSU both boast perfect 5-0 records in OVC matches.

Tuesday's match is also the final home contest for four Golden Eagle seniors - Alex Chen, James Crawford, Yianni Doropolous and Justin Kirstein.

Tech has won six consecutive matches to improve to 7-7 overall, including five straight against OVC foes. APSU is 10-7 overall.

The Golden Eagle have the advantage of playing on their home courts, where they have drawn an enthusiastic following. Tech is 3-0 at home this season, while Austin Peay is 1-5 away from home.

Admission is free for fans to watch the match.

The Govs have found strength at the top of the lineup, where Jasmin Ademovic, a sophomore from Bosnia, and Sean Bailey, a junor from Canada, have combined to post a 28-10 record this year, including 20-6 in dual matches and 6-0 against the OVC. They have alternated between the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the Govs lineup.

Dimitar Ristovski, a freshman from Macedonia, has also settled into a strong role at No. 3 singles, owning a 9-5 record in that spot.

The Golden Eagles have been paced by Alejandro Augusto, a freshman from Spain, and Justin Kirstein, a senior from South Africa. They are both 5-0 in OVC singles play and have joined forces to go 4-0 in doubles matches against the league.

Tech has also seen strong play from its No. 3 doubles tandem of Artem Tarasov, a freshman from Uzbekistan, and Vasily Eremeev, a sophomore from Russia. They are 4-1 againt the OVC as a pairing.

Tech owns a long-time lead in the series, 38-24, but Austin Peay won twice last year to snap a 12-match streak by the Golden Eagles. The Govs took a 5-2 win in Cookeville and elimiated Tech from the OVC tournament, 4-1, in Paducah, Ky.

Tech is bidding for its first OVC title since 2008, a year that capped a run in which the Golden Eagles won five championships in six years.