JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman (3-11, 1-2 SAC) men's tennis team plays host to Catawba (7-10, 0-4 SAC) tomorrow afternoon. The start time has been pushed up to 2:15 p.m.

"This is a big conference match," Carson-Newman head tennis coach Jean Love said, "for both teams."

The Eagles are coming off a hard 9-0 loss to Coker last Friday.

C-N holds a 5-4 conference victory over Lenoir-Rhyne from March 7 in which the Eagles won all of their doubles matches. Stefano Daza (Venezuela) and Jonathan Allen (Lenoir City, Tenn.) each contributed an additional point at 3 and 4 singles respectively.

Catawba defeated Lenoir-Rhyne 9-0 in preseason play last fall. However, the Indians are currently winless in conference play this spring.

On Feb. 27, the Indians dropped an 8-1 contest to Coker. Aaron Vanhorenbeck secured a 7-5, 7-5 final at no. 6 singles for Catawba's lone point.

Last season, Juan Perez (Ecuador) pulled out a big win at no. 1 singles after a third-set tiebreaker against Alex Macdonald 4-6, 6-3, 12-10 but Carson-Newman fell just shy of a SAC win dropping a 4-5 match to Catawba.

The doubles team of Perez and Austin Mackay (Oak Ridge, Tenn.), Allen at no. 5 singles and Paul Birdsong (since graduated and now the graduate assistant for the tennis teams) at no. 2 singles combined to provide the Eagles' remaining points.

"We need to establish ourselves," Coach Love said, "in the doubles and create some positive momentum heading into the singles."

The match kicks off at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow at the Carson-Newman Tennis Complex.