VIDEO: Jean Love Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – With back-to-back victories in the team's back pocket, Carson-Newman prepares to open South Atlantic Conference play with three-consecutive days of Conference action against Lincoln Memorial, Newberry and No. 22 Wingate, all starting on Thursday afternoon.
The Eagles (2-4, 0-0 SAC) have been over a week removed from outside competition. They defeated Bellarmine back on March 3 with an 8-1 victory, their largest margin of victory this season. C-N held a second-consecutive 2-1 advantage through doubles play before sweeping singles action with a straight-set total of 37-17 and 36-13. Marc Bantel (Urbach, Germany) picked up the lone shutout set win on the day with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Matthew Momper.
Top-seeded Gabriel Dabdab (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) broke a five-match singles losing skid with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over the Knight's Sam Rueff.
"For Dabdab, it's been a learning process," Love assessed. "He's competed well in all the matches. He's been close, sometimes it's been a point or two here or there if he wins it, you know, the outcome's a different story. The last few matches, though, it seems like he's settled in a little bit and has been able to capitalize at some of those crucial times."
The trio of competition days kicks off with a visit from nearby Lincoln Memorial on Thursday afternoon at the Buddy Catlett Tennis Complex.
The Railsplitters (5-3, 1-0 SAC) opened their conference schedule on Saturday with a substantial 8-1 victory over Catawba, giving LMU a two-match winning streak.
LMU was picked to finish fourth in the SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll after a 2016-17 campaign with a 17-4 record, 9-2 in conference play. In the postseason, the 'Splitters defeated Tusculum 5-1 in the SAC quarterfinals before falling to Wingate in the semifinals, 5-2.
Sophomore Xavier Marti earned an All-SAC First Team Singles nod while also being named to the All-SAC Doubles Second Team with Joshua Peress. This season, Marti has garnered a 3-4 duals record in singles play, standing at 3-1 at the No. 2 spot while failing to notch a win in three attempts at the top position.
Peress has spent a majority of the season as the top-seeded Railsplitter in duals with a 3-2 record at the position. When playing at the second spot, he has gone 3-0. On the doubles side, he has competed with David Segarra at the No. 1 and No. 2 spot for a team-leading 5-2 record, 8-3 overall with tournament play included.
The Railsplitters came out victorious in a close 5-4 match on March 28, 2017. The Eagles fell into a 2-1 deficit early on and put on steam to try to notch the comeback but were not able to do so.
LMU has been undefeated in eight-consecutive meetings with C-N, dating back to 2010.
Friday brings the first conference road trip of the season for C-N as Love's group travels to Newberry's Oakland Tennis Center for a 1:30 p.m. make-up match with the Wolves (12-3, 1-0 SAC) that was moved from its original date of March 10. Newberry will face Queens on Wednesday before the tussle with C-N.
Sophomore Edison Ambarzumjan who has yet to see a loss in singles play this season with a 14-0 record at the top-seeded position. He has also played at the top doubles spot for a majority of the season alongside Jose Navarro, tacking up a 7-4 record.
The Wolves were selected to finish third in the Conference's preseason coaches' poll after going 17-7 last season, 7-4 in SAC play. They defeated Anderson in the quarterfinal before falling to top-seeded Queens in the semifinal, 5-1.
Ambarzumjan was named a first-team singles team member in the preseason while Jordan Monosky landed on the singles second team list. The duo was also tabbed a first-team doubles pairing after going 14-8, 5-4 in the conference.
This decade has seen the two teams meet eight times with the Wolves leading the series 6-2. Carson-Newman has not defeated Newberry since March 17, 2012 when the Eagles garnered a 5-4 edge. The closest C-N has come to defeating the Wolves was last season's 5-4 loss at home.
The Eagles will return home on Saturday for an 2 p.m. match against No. 22 Wingate.
The Bulldogs (8-3, 1-0 SAC) will also come into the match with another SAC matchup under their belt as they travel to Catawba on Thursday before making their way to Mossy Creek.
As the eighth-ranked team in the southeast region according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, Wingate garnered a pair of first-place votes in the SAC Preseason Poll but was slated to finish second behind Queens. Josh DuToit and Daniel Belsito were named a first-team doubles pair while Belsito took first-team singles honors.
The sophomore has been the top-seeded player for the Bulldogs for a majority of this season, recording a 7-2 clip thus far. Alongside DuToit at the top doubles spot, the duo has gone 8-1, losing their first match in the team's 9-0 loss to No. 4 Columbus State on March 5.
The Eagles have not seen a victory against the Bulldogs this decade. Their closest match was last season's 7-2 loss at Wingate.
"Everybody at every position has got to come ready to play and do their job and do what they do well," Love mentioned. "If we do that, there's no reason why we shouldn't be competitive and compete and there's no reason why we couldn't win this match."
The Eagles and 'Splitters are scheduled to begin play at 1:30 p.m. at the Buddy Catlett Tennis Complex to start the trifecta of SAC matches. Recaps and results will follow each day of action on cneagles.com.
