ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's tennis team eyes a second-straight win in a matchup with Pennsylvania College of Technology today at the Murray Athletic Center tennis domes. The non-conference bout is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: After opening the 2016-17 season with a trio of losses, the Soaring Eagles tasted victory for the first time with a convincing win over visiting Oswego State, 7-2. The win was even more satisfying for the Elmira men this time around, after dropping a 6-3 decision to the Lakers in the 2016 fall season opener. EC set the tone early in the 7-2 win by claiming all three doubles points. The Soaring Eagles were dominant in doubles action, winning 24-of-29 games played, which included an 8-0 drubbing at the No. 1 position by
Theo Tran '20 and
Patrick Tracey '18. Elmira's momentum rolled into the singles portion of the match, as the Purple and Gold picked up wins at the first, second, third and fifth positions. All but one of those wins came in straight sets.
TOP-FIVE IN SIGHT: Yaniv Kogan '18 picked up a straight-set victory at the fifth singles spot in EC's 7-2 win against Oswego last time out. The win for the junior netter increased his career singles win total to 19, landing the Modiin, Israel, native in a five-way tie for sixth place in program history for career singles victories. One win this week would make Kogan the sole owner of the sixth spot, while two victories would push him into a two-way tie for fifth place in the EC record book.
DOUBLES SWEEP: The Soaring Eagles swept Oswego in doubles action en route to their first win of the year last time out, a season first for the Elmira men. EC went 6-0 last season when winning all three doubles contests, and was 8-1 when the team claimed two or more doubles victories.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS: Pennsylvania College of Technology is still searching for its first win of the season (0-4), as well as the Wildcats' first individual victory of the year after being swept in their first four contents of the season. All four setbacks took place during the fall season, as this Friday's matchup with the Soaring Eagles marks the first match of the spring season for the Wildcats. Penn College will be looking to improve on a 2-10 record from the 2015-16 campaign, and return to its winning form like the 2014-15 version of the Wildcats, who finished the year with a 7-6 record.
ALL-TIME SERIES: This evening's match at the Murray Athletic Center will serve as the first all-time match between the Soaring Eagles and the Wildcats. Penn College is one of two opponents on Elmira's schedule that the Purple and Gold have not faced before; the other opponent is Neumann University, a team EC will play on a date that has yet to be announced due to this past week's Northeast winter storm.
LOOKING AHEAD: Following today's contest, Elmira faces another tough test during its non-conference schedule when the Soaring Eagles take on the favorites to win the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC), Marywood University. The opening serve is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, at the tennis courts on Marywood's campus, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
