VIDEO: Jean Love Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman tennis coach Jean Love released the 2018 schedule for the men's and women's tennis teams.
The 2018 slate includes 14 home matches, 6 away matches and 1 neutral site competition. The out of conference schedule for the Eagles includes a trio of NAIA schools in Tennessee Wesleyan, Martin Methodist and Shawnee State. The Eagles will also play host to Spartanburg Methodist a junior college team from South Carolina.
"We have what I think is a really nice schedule this year." Love said, "Yes, it is going to be challenging with some of the competition, but we've got a great run up front with eight matches prior to conference play."
Other non-conference schools scheduled from Division II are Delta State, Young Harris, Lee University, Salem International University, North Georgia, Bellarmine and Converse (Women only).
"I think that we really do have a good mix of strong conferences and schools that we are playing" Love replied. "Our conference is tough, and I think right now the South Atlantic Conference is the best in tennis that it has ever been."
It will be the first time since the 2013-2014 season that the Eagles will face two members of the Gulf South Conference (Delta State and Lee University) and the Peach Belt Conference (Young Harris and North Georgia) in the same season.
Last season the women's tennis team finished with a 1-5 record against non-conference opponents, while the men's squad finished with a 2-4 record against non-conference competition.
The women's team made a return to the South Atlantic Conference Quarterfinals last season for the first time since 2010. The Eagles ended the season with an 8-10 overall record and a 7-4 conference record to finish fifth in the conference just ahead of Newberry and Lincoln Memorial.
"I am very excited about the women's team, we have five returners from last year's squad." Love responded, "We've got some decent talent, but we've got work to do still and I think the sky is the limit for this women's team."
The women's team returns five starters from last year's team. All-SAC single honorees Ali Harris (Crossville, Tenn.) and Jill Corsato-Owsianka (Germany) lead the way. Harris finished 6-12 in her sophomore year at the No. 1 singles position, the rising junior comes in with a career record of 18-19 all at the top position. Corsato-Owsianka split time at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions last season and compiled an overall record of 10-7. The rising senior has a chance to be the first player this decade to win 40 matches in her career, she currently sits with a 35-19 career singles record.
The tandem of Harris and Corsato-Owsianka also teamed up to create the Eagles No. 1 doubles team. The duo went 8-8 overall and 7-4 in conference play. Harris and Corsato-Owsianka currently sit fourth and fifth in doubles wins this decade. Corsato-Owsianka is one of three-players this decade to have at least 30 wins in both singles and doubles play.
Coming in behind Harris and Corasto-Owsianka are rising sophomores Alisa Liashova (Ukraine) and Klara Vuckovic (Germany). Liashova last season split time at the No. 2 and the No. 3 singles position where she compiled an overall record of 7-11 in singles play. Vuckovic was the team's No. 4 single's player last year and finished 9-9 overall with a 7-4 conference record.
The duo was named to the 2017 All-SAC doubles team after going 13-3 overall and 9-2 in conference play at the No. 2 doubles position.
Other key players returning to the women's team are senior's Sydney Ledington (Corbin, Ky.) and Mallory Jackson (Erwin, Tenn.). Ledington finished her junior campaign with an 8-9 overall record at the No. 6 position and teamed up with Lindy Tatum in doubles last season. Jackson did not play last season due to injury but is looking to bounce back. During her sophomore season, Jackson was 8-6 in singles play and 7-3 in doubles play.
The women's tennis team added three freshman Hannah Price (Knoxville, Tenn.), Abby Reis (Des Moines, IA.) and Claire Smith (Lexington, Ky.) to round out this year's team.
The men's tennis team finished in seventh place last season during conference play. The Eagle tennis team went 7-10 overall and 5-6 within conference play. Carson-Newman has one of the most experienced teams as they return six upper classmen to this year's squad.
"We've got some experience coming back." Love said, "We are going to turn to the upper classmen for next season. It'll be tough for the guys in our conference because of how strong how conference is this season."
Gabriel Dabdab (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Kevin Mendes (Chattanooga, Tenn.) are coming off-of double-digit win seasons. Dabdab went 10-7 and 5-4 in conference play during his freshman season. The native of Brazil teamed up with Joao Pedro Oliveria last year in No. 2 doubles and went 12-6 overall. The mark was good enough for the team to be named first team All-SAC.
Mendes was the closer on last year's team at the No. 6 singles position. The then junior compiled an overall record of 11-4 and a conference record of 8-3. Mendes teamed up with multiple partners in doubles play last season and went 4-4 overall.
Rodolfo Schwarz (Brazil) returns for his senior season, last year he was the Eagles No. 2 singles player and a member of the squads No. 1 doubles team. Marc Bantel (Germany) returns looking to improve on a 6-12 sophomore record at the Eagles No. 3 singles position. Bantel also went 5-8 in doubles play last season.
Jesus Bacete-Sanz (Madrid, Spain), Taylor Barie (Woodstock, Ga.), Jerry Hughes (Shelbyville, Tenn.) and Joseph Stiles (New Oxford, Pa.) are all returners that have in game experience for the Eagles.
The men's tennis team rounded out this year's team with the edition of Daniel Cox (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Jonathan Sabo (Maryville, Tenn.).
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