MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama will host Austin Peay and Louisiana-Lafayette this week on the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.

The Jaguars will play the Governors (2-8) Thursday at 1:30 p.m. and the Ragin’ Cajuns (3-7) Friday at 2 p.m.

South Alabama enters the match 5-4 coming off a 7-0 win over Hillsborough Community College Sunday. Sophomore Emily Newton (Dothan, Ala.) and freshmen Mary Angela Martin (Mobile, Ala.) and Mariya Krachok (Kiev, Ukraine) did not lose a game in singles and clinched the win for the Jags.

“It was good to get the win over Hillsborough and at the same time get some good practice matches in,” said USA head coach Jaco Keyser, who will be going for the school record in career wins. He is currently tied at the top spot with 127 in 10 seasons. 

Newton and Martin have each won eight consecutive singles matches and are undefeated in the spring. Newton is 10-2 dating back to the fall and is 6-0 at the No. 6 flight. Martin is 8-1 overall and is unbeaten at flights 4-6.

USA played APSU last season and defeated the Governors 4-3 to tie the all-time series 1-1. Seniors Chané Hines (Johannesburg, South Africa) and Alina Volman (Lugansk, Ukraine) each won singles matches in straight sets.

South Alabama saw ULL in the Sun Belt Championships last season when the Ragin’ Cajuns dropped the Jaguars 4-0 to advance to the semifinals.

Volman faced Haley Acuna in the UL Invitational during the fall and took the 6-1, 6-1 victory and Martin fell 6-1, 7-5 to Briggit Marcovich.

“First we have to hopefully take care of Austin Peay before we get to Lafayette,” said Keyser. “Lafayette is usually a good competitive team. We just have to keep focusing on our own games and improving individually and as a team.”

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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