KNOXVILLE, TENN. – No. 25 Sun Devil men's tennis looks to compete for a spot at the 2020 ITA Indoor National Championship this weekend, traveling to Knoxville for the Tennessee-hosted ITA Kickoff Weekend. ASU takes on the host Volunteers Saturday afternoon and then either Columbia or Oklahoma State on Sunday.
The Sun Devils (1-1) are 2-4 in program history against the 16th-ranked Vols, last facing off in 2003 in Tempe. In order to advance to the Indoor National Championship Feb. 7-10 in Chicago, ASU must first defeated Tennessee and then notch another win on Sunday against the winner of Columbia/Oklahoma State.
ASU heads to Tennessee coming off a 1-1 opening weekend at the Whiteman Tennis Center, splitting their weekend with a win over Grand Canyon and a loss against No. 8 TCU.
In their match against the crosstown Lopes, the Sun Devils got off to a hot start to secure their first doubles point of the season. The freshman pair of George Stoupe/Christian Lerby began the ASU good fortune with a quick 6-0 win on court three, and Makey Rakotomalala/Tom LeBlanc secured the point with a 6-3 win of their own on court two.
Rakotomalala, Andrea Bolla and Lerby took care of business in singles play including Lerby notching his first collegiate win of his career on court three. The freshman took a 6-1, 6-0 victory to make it 2-0 Devils, and Bolla and Rakotomalala followed to take home the 4-0 win.
The Horned Frogs were next on the agenda, as the two squads went toe-to-toe for the first time since the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. The Horned Frogs took the doubles point with wins on courts two and three, leaving the top-30 battle of No. 27 Bolla/Tim Ruehl and No. 29 Alastair Gray/Jacob Fearnley unfinished.
Bolla and Stoupe highlighted the maroon and gold against TCU, as Bolla took his second win of the week on court two. Stoupe also put up a point for ASU for his first collegiate singles win.
First serve against Tennessee is set for 12 p.m. MST on Saturday. Fans can keep up with the action all season-long by following @SunDevilMTennis on Twitter.
The Sun Devils (1-1) are 2-4 in program history against the 16th-ranked Vols, last facing off in 2003 in Tempe. In order to advance to the Indoor National Championship Feb. 7-10 in Chicago, ASU must first defeated Tennessee and then notch another win on Sunday against the winner of Columbia/Oklahoma State.
ASU heads to Tennessee coming off a 1-1 opening weekend at the Whiteman Tennis Center, splitting their weekend with a win over Grand Canyon and a loss against No. 8 TCU.
In their match against the crosstown Lopes, the Sun Devils got off to a hot start to secure their first doubles point of the season. The freshman pair of George Stoupe/Christian Lerby began the ASU good fortune with a quick 6-0 win on court three, and Makey Rakotomalala/Tom LeBlanc secured the point with a 6-3 win of their own on court two.
Rakotomalala, Andrea Bolla and Lerby took care of business in singles play including Lerby notching his first collegiate win of his career on court three. The freshman took a 6-1, 6-0 victory to make it 2-0 Devils, and Bolla and Rakotomalala followed to take home the 4-0 win.
The Horned Frogs were next on the agenda, as the two squads went toe-to-toe for the first time since the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. The Horned Frogs took the doubles point with wins on courts two and three, leaving the top-30 battle of No. 27 Bolla/Tim Ruehl and No. 29 Alastair Gray/Jacob Fearnley unfinished.
Bolla and Stoupe highlighted the maroon and gold against TCU, as Bolla took his second win of the week on court two. Stoupe also put up a point for ASU for his first collegiate singles win.
First serve against Tennessee is set for 12 p.m. MST on Saturday. Fans can keep up with the action all season-long by following @SunDevilMTennis on Twitter.