Friday, March 30
Tampa, FL
1:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. CT
SMU
at
USF
SMU Set For Conference Match at USF
Mar 28 | Men's Tennis
DALLAS (SMU) - After a two-match homestand, the Mustangs will travel to Tampa, Florida for an American Conference matchup against USF on Friday, March 30, at 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT.
SMU (7-14) will look to bounce back from a six-match slide against the Bulls. Freshmen Tomas Vaise and Jan-Simon Vrbsky lead the team with nine wins each and eight victories as a doubles pair.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The Bulls (6-12) are looking to break a losing streak of their own after dropping their last three matches. The team is highlighted by ranked doubles pair Alberto Barroso-Campos and Grayson Goldin who check in at No. 41 on the ITA/Oracle Rankings. Barroso-Campos, who is No. 72 in singles, holds a team-best 10-4 record and plays mostly at the top position. USF will look to repeat as the American Athletic Conference champions this season.
SERIES INFO
The Mustangs are 1-4 all-time against the Bulls, but earned the lone win on the road in 2016. The two teams last met in 2017, when USF was ranked No. 26. The Mustangs fell, 4-2, at the SMU Tennis Complex.
USF (1-4)
Home: 0-2, Away: 1-0, Neutral: 0-2
4/7/13................N.................L .................... 4-3
4/3/15................H.................L .................... 4-1
4/2/16................A.................W................... 4-2
3/19/17..............N.................L .................... 2-4
4/9/17................H.................L .................... 2-4
TAKING ON RANKED OPPONENTS
The Mustangs have not shied away from tough competition in dual match season, having faced seven Oracle/ITA nationally-ranked teams in 21 matches. SMU first traveled to No. 8 Texas, followed by a home match against No. 18 TCU, a road match at No. 10 Oklahoma State, and home matches vs. No. 41 Memphis and No. 9 Columbia. The Mustangs then faced No. 26 Arizona State at the BNP Paribas Collegiate Tennis Challenge. Finally, No. 31 Tulane visited the SMU Tennis Complex for an American Conference matchup. Since taking on Harvard and Arkansas, both teams have appeared on the national rankings as well, with Arkansas listed at No. 50 on Feb. 20 and Harvard reaching as high as No. 23.
LAST TIME OUT
The Mustangs caught momentum against No. 31 Tulane's two ranked players but couldn't find a dual match win, falling 4-0 in the American Conference matchup on Tuesday evening at the SMU Tennis Complex.
The Mustangs just missed earning doubles wins on two courts to start the dual match. Tomas Vaise and Jan-Simon Vrbsky led Tulane's Constantin Schmitz and Ewan Moore to begin the match, but the Green Wave pushed ahead, winning three straight games to earn a 6-4 win.
Charles Nettlefold and Roberto Rosales were caught in a tight 5-6 contest at the No. 3 position when Tulane clinched the doubles point, leaving the match unfinished.
Two SMU players earned first set victories in singles play, including Vrbsky's set lead over his nationally-ranked opponent. The freshman was up 6-3, 3-2 on No. 92 Ewan Moore until the end of the match. Nettlefold also kept his contest close with a 6-4, 2-3 score when the match was clinched.
SMU dropped the match on losses from the No. 4, 5 and 6 positions.
LOOKING AHEAD
SMU returns home for the final home-stand of the season, beginning with conference-rival Wichita State on Friday, April 6, at 4:30 p.m.
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