MOBILE, Ala. – Two teams in the top 70 await the University of South Alabama men's tennis team this weekend at the MT Shootout hosted by Middle Tennessee.
The action starts Friday at 10 a.m. against No. 66 Georgia State, followed by a 2 p.m. match on Saturday against the host and 62nd-ranked Blue Raiders. On Sunday at 10 a.m., the Jaguars will take on in-state rival Alabama-Birmingham.
The Jags (12-7) will look to extend their four-match win streak, which has seen them drop just one point in their last three matches. USA shutout Texas-Rio Grande Valley and Rollins before defeating Florida Atlantic 6-1.
"We had a really good trip in Florida and picked up some good wins, especially against FAU," USA head coach
Nick Brochu said. "That's a really good team and they came close to beating Middle Tennessee, so that gives us a little indication of what to expect.
"At the same time, we had a chance to get some rest and heal some injuries. There will only be four teams this weekend, but it's a high-quality tournament."
The victory over Florida Atlantic came on March 14, giving South Alabama almost two weeks between matches.
"I think it's good to have a mental break," Brochu said. "We've played so much in March and traveled a lot; we haven't had one home match this month. It takes a toll so it was nice to have a little break, but now it's time to go back to work. Let's hope it pays off."
Georgia State, the highest-ranked team in the Sun Belt Conference, enters Friday with a 10-4 record and has won six of its last seven outings. South Alabama leads the series 5-1; the two schools split a pair of meetings in the 2013 and 2014 Sun Belt Championships.
A former member of the Sun Belt, Middle Tennessee brings a 13-3 mark into the weekend, holds a 10-2 record at home, and has won its last four matches. The Blue Raiders are 3-2 against nationally-ranked opponents and are a combined 24-7 at the top two singles flights.
The Jags lead the series 14-8, but have dropped the last four matchups overall, and in Murfreesboro.
Sunday will mark the fourth straight year the Jaguars and Blazers have met, with USA holding a 22-9 advantage and winning eight of the last nine. The Blazers are 9-6 on the year and are 5-2 in their last seven matches.
"In two or three weeks we'll be going to the conference tournament, and we'll probably have three tough matches in three days," Brochu said. "We talk about rankings, and it's a great opportunity for us, but you can't look at them because they fluctuate so much. You don't want to be focused on that, you want to be focused on getting better and I think that's what this weekend will be all about.
"Georgia State will be a big conference match, Middle Tennessee is ranked and UAB is always a big in-state battle. I think it will be a good test. We have six matches left in the season and none of them are easy. We're going to go in there without pressure, but at the same time, it's very important that we play like we want to play at the conference tournament."
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).
—USA—
