CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State men's tennis team will return to the courts this weekend with their annual Spring Break Trip, as the Vikings are set to travel to Florida for three matches. Cleveland State will face off against Army, UCF, and Florida Tech over a four-day span in the Sunshine State.
Saturday, March 12 | vs. Army | 10:00 a.m.
UCF Tennis Complex | 4000 Central Florida Blvd. | Orlando, Fla. | 32816
Sunday, March 13 | @ UCF | 10:00 a.m.
UCF Tennis Complex | 4000 Central Florida Blvd. | Orlando, Fla. | 32816
Tuesday, March 15 | @ Florida Tech | 1:00 p.m.
Fee Avenue Park | Melbourne, Fla. | 32901
VanMeter In The Record Books
Entering the annual Spring Break Trip, senior Joe VanMeter is just one win shy of becoming the seventh Viking all-time to record 70 career singles wins. VanMeter currently ranks seventh on the CSU Singles Wins list with 69 victories, and has an 8-5 singles record this spring. VanMeter is also just three wins shy of moving into sixth place on the singles wins list, needing 72 career victories to jump ahead of Rob West (2005-09).
Slade Extends Winstreak
After picking up a pair of wins against Western Michigan and Marietta last time out, freshman Benjamin Slade extended his singles winstreak to six straight matches. Slade, who has a team-best 16-9 record this season, was the only Viking to pick up a win against the No. 62 Broncos. With just four more singles wins this spring, Slade would become the 11th Viking all-time to notch 20 wins in the same season, joining current Viking Joe VanMeter on the list.
Cleveland State's New Domicile
Viking Tennis' new indoor home is officially open, as the women's team faced Akron on Wednesday, March 9 in the first match ever played in the Medical Mutual Tennis Pavilion. Construction on the MMTP wrapped up last week, and features six indoor courts. You can read all about the construction of the MMTP – which is located on the Cleveland State campus at the corner of East 21st Street and Chester Avenue – by clicking on this link: MMTP Construction Blog.
Vikings With The Sweep
Cleveland State picked up its second 7-0 sweep of the season last time out, picking up all three doubles matches and all six singles matches against Marietta. Included in the six singles wins was the first collegiate victory for Christian Sorige, who stepped into the lineup at No. 6 singles and posted a 6-0, 6-1 win.
Scouting The Black Knights
Army enters Saturday's match with a 7-6 record on the spring, and is on a two-match winstreak with victories over Siena and Stony Brook last time out.
This will be the first meeting between the two teams over the last 13 seasons.
Scouting The Knights
Central Florida currently stands at 4-7 on the season and will host a pair of contests against East Carolina and ETSU before they take on the Vikings. The Knights have mixed up their singles lineup throughout the spring season with Inaki Espindola and Nico De Fraia both owning a team-high five singles wins.
This will be just the second meeting between the two teams under head coach Brian Etzkin, as UCF picked up a 6-1 victory during the 2012-13 season.
Scouting The Panthers
Florida Tech, a Division II program, currently stands at 6-4 this spring and will play a handful of matches before facing Cleveland State next week. Aria Canadell has been the Panthers top singles player this spring, owning a 6-4 record at the No. 1 spot, while he has teamed with Tjimon Louisy to also play at the top of the doubles lineup.
This will be the first meeting between the two teams over the last 13 seasons.
