Alabama Tennis Opens 2005 with Four Matches This Weekend
1/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
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The University of Alabama men's tennis team will begin its 2005 regular season this weekend with a grueling stretch of four matches in three days. The action begins on Friday as the Crimson Tide plays host to Birmingham-Southern at 1 p.m. at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.
Alabama will play two matches on Friday and Sunday. In addition to facing Birmingham-Southern Friday afternoon, the Tide will square off against No. 68 Central Florida at 6 p.m. Sunday's opponents will be Furman at 10 a.m. and Troy at 3 p.m.
"We're excited to start the season," said head coach Billy Pate. "We have four challenging matches this weekend in a three-day span so we have our work cut out for us."
Seven Alabama competitors will see their first regular season action at Alabama, including sophomore Luigi D'Agord, who redshirted the 2004 season. D'Agord enters this weekend's opening slate of matches as the Tide's top performer with a 17-4 record and a No. 31 national ranking. Six other Tide freshmen will compete for the first time in a dual match at Alabama.
"We have a good number of young talent that we're anxious to see perform," said Pate. "It will be important for us to utilize our depth this weekend and approach each match one at a time."
First-year assistant coach Lee Nickell will also experience his first dual match as a member of the Crimson Tide, but opening weekend for him holds a special treat. Nickell, a 2001 graduate of Furman, will coach against his alma mater and former coach Paul Scarpa on Sunday.
"I'm very excited to play against my old coach, Paul Scarpa," said Nickell. "He's been a big role model to me and it will be exciting."
The Crimson Tide enters this weekend's home stand ranked at No. 37 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Central Florida will be the only ranked opponent this weekend for Alabama, however, the Golden Knights are the first of 18 ranked opponents for Alabama this season, 13 of which are in the Top 25.
All four matches will be played indoors at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility and each match can be followed online with live statistics at www.rolltide.com.
