After a split series against TCU and LSU last weekend, the No. 15 Texas A&M men’s tennis team will play a doubleheader against UT-Arlington and Abilene Christian University on Saturday at George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released their division one men’s national team, singles, and doubles ranks earlier this week. The Aggies (7-5), previously ranked 12th overall from the Feb. 22 rankings, dropped three spots this morning as they’ve gone 3-5 since their 4-0 start in the beginning of the season.
In the singles rankings, senior Alexis Kelgou sits now ranked 30th-overall as he dropped 15 spots after suffering an upset in the LSU game against 66th-overall Olivier Borsos. In doubles rankings, seniors Colin Hoover and John Lewis, previously ranked 36th-overall, were dropped out of the top 60 ranked duos from the ITA rankings. Sophomore Junior Ore and freshman Jackson Withrow improve their rank from 55th to 25th-overall after sealing big wins in doubles play over the previous two weeks.
Junior Niall Angus has won his last four singles matches, three of those victories in two sets, and his last three doubles matches with freshman Jeffery Efferding. Angus has nonetheless become a reliable contributor to the team within the past few weeks. Klegou’s last two singles matches, against ranked individuals, have gone all the way to three sets as he tries to get back to his dominating position. Ore and Withrow, A&M top ranked duo, have won their last three doubles matches including an impressive win over 23rd-ranked duo from LSU, Chris Simpson and Olivier Borsos.
The UT-Arlington Mavericks (1-5) are coming off a four game losing streak dating back to Feb. 14. All of the losses the Mavericks received this season came from ITA ranked schools. The Mavericks’ recent loss came to No. 71 Nicholls State on Tuesday as they lost a tight game 4-3. The Mavericks lost the doubles point early, but splitting three wins in singles play with Nicholls State wasn’t enough to win the close contest.
The Abilene Christian University Wildcats (7-4) are currently in a four game home stand, which they’ve won three straight games by a margin of 26-1. The No. 6 division two school will play their last home game against the University of the Incarnate Word before they visit College Station on Saturday for a huge road test. Two of the Wildcats’ four losses came from ranked opponent in division one schools, No. 9 Kentucky and No. 51 Rice.
During the 2010-2011 season, the Aggies defeated the Mavericks, 6-1, and the Wildcats, 5-2, at George P. Mitchell. The Mavericks won early in doubles play against A&M, but the Aggies cleaned house in singles play as they won all six matches to coast by with a win. The Aggies lost the doubles point to the Wildcats early, but retaliated by winning five of six singles matches to secure the win.
The doubleheader will start with UT-Arlington at 12 p.m., following by Abilene Christian at 4:30 p.m.