Men's Tennis Hosts Georgia & Tennessee This Weekend
3/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 27, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 24th-ranked University of Alabama men's tennis team hosts two ranked opponents this weekend to begin the second half of the conference season. The Crimson Tide will face the third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Friday, March 28, at 3 p.m. before taking on 10th-ranked Tennessee on Sunday, March 30, at 1 p.m. Both matches will be played at the UA Varsity Courts.
"It's a challenging weekend for us with Georgia, the defending national champions, and a top-10 caliber Tennessee squad paying a visit this weekend," said Alabama head coach Billy Pate. "We need to play better after Sunday's match and I'm certain we will."
Alabama heads into the weekend 14-6 overall and 4-2 in the SEC after splitting a pair of matches with Kentucky and Vanderbilt. The Tide is led by 88th-ranked Mat Thibaudeau and Sammy Struyf in singles. Both players have posted a 4-1 conference records this season.
In doubles, the tandem of Thibaudeau and Daniel Buikema has won 10 consecutive matches. The nation's 12th-ranked doubles team is 24-8 overall and remains undefeated in conference action at 5-0.
Georgia (16-1 overall, 6-0 in the SEC) heads into the weekend on a 10-match winning streak. The Bulldogs feature five ranked singles players and two ranked doubles teams. Alabama trails the all-time series with Georgia, 47-8, in a series that dates back to 1951. The Tide's most recent win against the Bulldogs came in 2003, Pate's first year at Alabama.
Tennessee is on a two-match winning streak after defeating LSU and Arkansas last weekend. The Vols are 4-2 in conference play and are led by No. 17 J.P. Smith who has posted a 4-2 singles record at the No. 1 spot. Alabama is 11-32 all-time against the Volunteers and suffered a 5-2 loss to Tennessee in Knoxville last season.
"I encourage all our fans to come out and support us as it's shaping up to be a great weekend weather-wise," said Pate. "Plus, you can't ask for more exciting opponents from a national perspective, not to mention the implications in the SEC race. There will be some high level tennis being played this weekend."
Live statistics and results for both matches will be available at www.rolltide.com.
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