CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State men's tennis team (4-3) will continue its spring season with a single match this weekend, traveling to Niagara for a 6:00 p.m. contest on Friday, February 27.
Friday, Feb. 27 | @ Niagara | 6:00 p.m.
Sportsplex | 90 Ridge Road | North Tonawanda, N.Y. | 14120
Schedule Change
Friday's contest at Niagara was recently added to the Cleveland State schedule, after the Vikings' Feb. 28 match at Georgetown was cancelled. CSU also added a match against Xavier later this season – as the two teams are set to faceoff in a neutral site match on Tuesday, April 7. The match will take place at Elysium Tennis Club in Plain City, Ohio.
Counting Down To 50
Entering this weekend's match, junior Joe VanMeter is just one win shy of 50 for his career, owning a 49-38 singles mark. VanMeter, who has a team-best 13-6 singles record this season, would be the 11th Viking all-time to achieve the feat, and the third current Viking to do so (Ali Shabib & Jorg van der Vloet).
Senior Nolan Marks is also closing in on the 50-win mark, entering the week with 46 career singles wins. Marks has played in just one dual match this spring, picking up a victory at No. 6 singles against St. Bonaventure.
Jorg van der Vloet Remains Perfect In Singles Play
After picking up a pair of victories at No. 3 singles last week, Jorg van der Vloet enters Friday's contest with a perfect 7-0 mark in singles play this spring. van der Vloet has recorded six of his victories at the No. 3 spot, and one of his wins at No. 2 singles. He is the only Horizon League player who has played in at least five dual matches to own a perfect singles record so far this season.
In The Record Book
Seniors Ali Shabib and Jorg van der Vloet are both in the top-10 on the CSU career singles wins list – as both Vikings are tied for ninth with 52 singles wins. Shabib and van der Vloet have split time between No. 2 and No. 3 singles this spring, van der Vloet owning a 7-0 record and Shabib standing at 4-3.
Scouting the Purple Eagles
Niagara is currently 2-3 on the season, picking up wins against Lafayette and Colgate. The Purple Eagles were selected to finish fourth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, and are led by six returning letterwinners. Included in this group is three-time All-MAAC selection, David Raymond who has been one of Niagara's top singles players.
This will be the 10th meeting between the two teams under head coach Brian Etzkin, with Cleveland State owning a 7-2 advantage in the overall series - and on a five-match win streak against the Purple Eagles entering Friday's contest.
