April 25, 2018
Tournament Central | Klinger back with force for VU
The 19th-ranked Vanderbilt men’s tennis team begins Southeastern Conference Tournament play from Tuscaloosa, Ala. Thursday afternoon at noon CT against LSU. Tournament action will take place April 25-29 at the University of Alabama Tennis Center.
Following a 17-7 overall record and 7-5 SEC slate, the Commodores enter tournament play as the sixth seed and enjoyed a first round bye on Wednesday.
Heading into the SEC tournament, several Commodores have shown breakout performances during the season. Freshmen Maxwell Freeman and George Harwell have held it down for the black and gold in the lower portion of the VU singles lineup and will be making their tournament debuts. Harwell has claimed six victories in his last seven matches, all against SEC opponents.
Tickets are sold as a one-day or an all-week pass. One-day tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for youth 18 and under. All-week passes are $15. For live updates and a behind-the-scenes look at the 2018 SEC Men’s Tennis Tournament, follow @SECMTennis on Twitter.
Commodore Notables:
- Vanderbilt enters the SEC Tournament as the fifth seed
- The Commodores take on the 11th-seeded LSU Tigers
- VU swept LSU 7-0 during the regular season
- The Commodores boast three ranked singles players; No. 25 Cameron Klinger, No. 28 Daniel Valent and No. 122 Baker Newman
- Billy Rowe and Klinger come in at No. 12 in the nation in doubles rankings
- Rowe/Klinger own five-straight victories
- Mississippi State defeated the Dores last season in 2017 SEC quarterfinals
Tiger Talk:
- LSU enters Tournament play with a 10-15 overall record, and 2-10 SEC mark
- The Tigers fields one ranked singles player, No. 72 Shane Monroe
- Monroe has compiled a 10-12 overall record with eight wins on court one
- Rafael Wagner also has 10 wins on the dual season
- Stewart Block and Monroe have a team-high 11 wins in doubles play. The pair has been the court three mainstay this season.
