JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman hits the road for the first time in South Atlantic Conference play for a Saturday afternoon meeting with Newberry.
Carson-Newman (5-2, 0-1 SAC) looks to avoid a third-straight season of starting 0-2 in league action after falling to No. 4 Wingate at home on Wednesday afternoon, 6-1.
Gabriel Dabdab (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Hugo Castets (Gradignan, France) extended their winning streak on the season to three-straight with a 6-3 win at the No. 1 spot, but C-N dropped the other two doubles matches to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage heading to singles. The Eagles dropped all but one of the following matches as Dabdab picked up a second-consecutive victory at the No. 5 slot, taking down Matt Jones in straight-sets, 7-5 and 7-6. The senior is now 3-1 on the season.
Through the first seven matches of the 2020 campaign, the Eagles have seen the most success at the bottom half of the singles list, seeing a 5-2 total record at each of the fourth, fifth and sixth flights. On the doubles side, the No. 1 spot has been nothing short of dominant with a .857 winning percentage at 6-1.
So far this season, C-N has only played in one other road contest. It fell at Austin Peay, 4-3, back on February 14. Much like conference play, the Eagles have started 0-2 in road trips in the past two seasons.
Newberry (5-4, 1-1 SAC) has lost two of its last three matches on the season, including a 4-3 loss to Tusculum on February 15. With a meeting with Queens postponed in early February, the Wolves have played in just one other SAC contest, winning by a steep 6-1 margin at Mars Hill on February 2. They are currently tied for fourth in the league standings, sitting even with Tusculum.
Coach Mark Gardiner's side has not seen a win on its home court yet this season, sitting at 0-2 in such matches. Both of those losses have been with scores of 4-3 against Tusculum and Emmanuel.
Newberry heads into the match after playing four matches in four days at Hilton Head, facing off with Tiffin, Mount St. Mary's, Warner and Barton.
Since 2010, Carson-Newman has gone 2-8 against the Wolves, facing a seven-match losing streak in the series. The last win C-N saw came on March 17, 2012 with a 5-4 decision at Newberry.
The last meeting between the two sides resulted in Newberry leaving Mossy Creek with a 4-3 win. The Wolves did not have a sixth player available for the match, giving the Eagles a forfeit advantage at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles. C-N lost the two remaining doubles matchups, sending the match into a 1-1 draw for singles action. Newberry took three of those competitions with two coming in straight-sets.
Saturday's match is set to start at 2 p.m. from the Oakland Tennis Center.
