MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men’s tennis team will take on Austin Peay Thursday at 1:30 p.m. on the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.
The Jaguars enter the match 8-3 after picking up two wins over top 75 opponents at the H-E-B Tournament of Champions in Corpus Christi, Texas. The team moved up to No. 42 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings released Tuesday.
“It was a very long weekend,” said USA head coach Nick Brochu. “We played four matches in three days. I think it was a good sign that the guys are in shape. Jerry (Partsch), our strength and conditioning coach, has been working extremely hard with the guys and it’s showing. We went in knowing that every team in the tournament was ranked. Unfortunately, we had a bad performance in our first match. We came out a little flat and lost to a good Louisiana-Lafayette team. We were very disappointed, but we turned it around, played harder and picked up three really good wins.”
South Alabama faced Austin Peay last season at home and defeated the Governors 4-3. Junior Alex Bernard (Soisy Sur Seine, France) secured the win for USA after defeating Henrique Norbiato.
APSU enters the match 4-4 in the spring after falling 5-2 to Troy Tuesday. Sean Bailey (6-2) and Jasmin Ademovic (5-2) lead the Governors, with each sharing time at No. 1 and No. 2 singles.
“The match against Austin Peay is going to be a little different than the H-E-B tournament,” said Brochu. “When you play someone who is ranked ahead of you there is zero pressure, you just try to beat them and get the upset. Now we are on top and we have to make sure that we act like it. We have to make sure we have a strong start, are louder and more aggressive than the other team. We can’t just think it’s going to be an easy day, we have to work.”
Senior Dauw Kruger (Pretoria, South Africa) is 8 is 8-2 this spring at No. 5 and No. 6 singles and has won three of his last four matches, two being in straight sets. Kruger's eight wins this spring are tied for the team lead with junior Cody Hall (Albuquerque, N.M.).
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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