JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After four-straight matches at the indoor confines of the Knoxville Racquet Club, Carson-Newman womens's tennis travels to Clarksville, Tenn. for a Friday morning bout versus Division I foe Austin Peay.
It is the lone DI opponent for the Eagles on the spring dual-match schedule and presents an opportunity for head coach Jim Frederick and his team to see where they stack up.
"They're very good, and that's why I put a Division I school (on the schedule) to say 'Okay, this is good competition,' and go from there," Frederick said.
A 3-1 start to the year is the best for the Eagles since 2016 in a season that saw C-N finish 14-6. Last weekend, the team breezed by the pair of Milligan and King, only dropping a handful of games and sweeping all 12 singles matches across both contests in straight sets.
The Lady Govs, of course, will be a bigger challenge. Entering Friday, the Lady Govs are 6-1 to begin the spring season. After a season-opening defeat versus Chattanooga, the team has responded with six-straight victories and look to make it seven against C-N.
All six of the Eagles singles players this season hold winning records individually, with No. 1 singles and preseason All-SAC member Ana Carla Resende (Minas Gerais, Brazil) and No. 4 singles Tash Forrest (Jersey, United Kingdom) both at 3-0 to start the spring season.
Collectively, C-N is 14-4 in singles play through the first four matches.
Doubles has seen the team go 6-3 across all nine matches.
Inserting herself into the doubles lineup Friday is junior Abby Reis (Des Moines, Iowa) who has battled injuries to start her spring campaign.
"I think the biggest thing is the doubles and I think we just have to learn how to compete in close matches. The scores last year were really not rollovers, we were competitive in pretty much every match last year," Frederick said.
In the series history Austin Peay leads 1-0. The Lady Govs earned the head-to-head series opening victory last year in 2019 with a 7-0 win, respectively. However, Resende's match went the distance into a third-set tiebreaker.
Opening serve from the Governors Tennis Center in Clarksville is set for 2:30 p.m.
C-N's weekend doesn't stop Friday, as the team will also travel to face Sewanee Sunday at 2 p.m. in an exhibition contest.
Be sure to check CNEagles.com for continued coverage of play this weekend.
