MOBILE, Ala. – The 53rd-ranked University of South Alabama men’s tennis team will stay on the road for the second of four straight away matches and face Southern Miss Thursday at the USM Tennis Courts.

First serve is set for 1 p.m.

The Jaguars are 2-3 on the season and are coming off a 5-1 loss to No. 10 Mississippi State on Sunday. The match Thursday will be the first against a non-ranked opponent since the season opener on Jan. 20.

“We played at such a high level against Mississippi State that if we maintain that level, we shouldn’t have a problem against Southern Miss,” USA head coach Nick Brochu said. “Last year we were really ready for them and it showed; we dominated from beginning to end. This year we have to make sure we take them seriously; they are a better team than last year but I believe we are as well. We have to make sure that right from the start, we show them that we’re here to win and take care of business.

“It’s going to be a lot about attitude on the court, especially since we’re playing on the road this year. We cannot start playing from behind. We have to get a huge start from the beginning and maintain the pace.”

The Golden Eagles enter the match with a 6-2 record and have won their last three matches. Matt Frost anchors the top of the lineup with a 4-2 mark while Andrew Goodwin has a 6-1 record at the top two spots.

South Alabama leads the all-time series 11-1 and has won seven in a row. USM’s last win came in the 1990 season.

Jaguar sophomore Daniel Leitner (Niederfischbach, Germany) brings a 4-1 spring record and a four-match winning streak to the proceedings, including two victories over top-40 opponents. Leitner rallied from deficits in the last two sets Sunday in defeating No. 28 Romain Bogaerts.

“Daniel has been playing awesome,” Brochu said. “Against Mississippi State, he almost retired. He was hurting tremendously—he had a back injury—and in the second set he had to see a trainer. He just had to grind it out. He very much enjoys the challenge; he looks forward to performing under pressure and that’s why it’s working well for him.”

Southern Miss has a .722 win percentage at the bottom three spots of the singles lineup, making the performances of junior Shayann Vaezzadeh (Bavent, France), sophomore Blake Gregor (Griffith, New South Wales, Australia) and senior Cody Hall (Albuquerque, N.M.) all the more important for a USA victory.

“When you play teams like this, you really have to be solid at the bottom. At the top three positions, every team has good players, including Southern Miss. But if we can secure points at the 4, 5 and 6 spots, it gives a lot of confidence and cushion to the top three guys. They can play without pressure, knowing we have three points.”

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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