Tech's begins quest for third straight OVC Championship
The Tennessee Tech tennis team hosts a pair of visitors this weekend to open Ohio Valley Conference play, as the Golden Eagles begin their quest for a third consecutive regular season league championship.
By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports
Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- In their quest to capture a third consecutive
Ohio Valley Conference regular season title -- and run their win
streak in regular season OVC matches to 17 in a row -- the
Tennessee Tech tennis team opens league play this weekend in an
unfamiliar location: at home on the Tech campus courts.
After playing their first nine matches on the road, coach Kenny
Doyle's team gets its first action at home with matches Saturday
and Sunday. Murray State visits Saturday for an 11 a.m. contest,
while Austin Peay comes to town Sunday, with first serve scheduled
for noon.
Admission is free for the matches.
6-1
The rivalry with Murray State has gone through two distinct
periods. The Racers owned Tech from 1978 through 1995, and won
numerous OVC titles. Since 1996, however, the Golden Eagles have
piled up a 20-3 record against Murray State, including 12 wins in a
row. Last year in Murray, the Golden Eagles ran their win streak to
a dozen with a 5-2 victory.
The Racers come to town with a 1-5 overall record this spring,
losing earlier this week to Middle Tennessee and Chattanooga, both
by 6-0 scores. MSU's lone win was a 5-2 victory over Bethel
University.
The Golden Eagles own a 40-24 all-time record against Austin Peay,
winning 18 of the last 21 matches including a 5-2 victory last year
in Clarksville. In fact, since 1988, Tech has lost only six of 30
matches and is unbeaten on the Tech courts during that span with a
12-0 record.
The Governors are currently 5-2 overall in dual matches this
spring, but have been idle since a 5-2 loss to Linsey Wilson
College on March 1. Austin Peay plays its OVC opener at
Jacksonville State on Saturday before heading to the Upper
Cumberland. The Govs have been strong in the top two singles
positions, going 6-1 at No. 1 singles and 5-1 at the No. 2
position. At No. 1, Dimitar Ristovski owns a 3-0 record while
Jasmin Ademovic is 3-1 at that spot. In the No. 2 slot. Alexsas
Tverijonas is 3-0 while Ristovski is 2-1. Overall, Tverijonas owns
a 7-0 singles mark, including a 4-0 worksheet at No. 3. In
doubles, Ristovski and Iago Sefferin are a perfect 7-0 in dual
matches heading into the weekend.
The Golden Eagles are 1-8 overall this spring, with their lone win
being a 4-3 victory over Lipscomb on Feb. 28. Among Tech's losses
are a 7-0 decision to No. 6 Tennessee, a 6-1 loss to No. 47
Louisville, and a 6-1 loss to Division II fourth-ranked Georgia
Gwinnett.
Sophomore Oleksiy Arovin
(in photo above) has been Tech's leader, posting a 7-2 record in
the No. 1 singles position. He comes into the weekend having won
six consecutive matches.
