March 6, 2008
Live Stats vs. Arkansas | Live Stats vs. LSU
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – After wrapping up non-conference play with a 6-1 win at Northwestern on Tuesday, Vanderbilt’s No. 22 men’s tennis team will stay on the road for its first Southeastern Conference road test of the season this weekend at Arkansas and LSU.
Vanderbilt (9-2, 1-1 SEC) will play at No. 69 Arkansas (7-6, 0-2 SEC) on Friday at 1 p.m. at the George M. Billingsley Tennis Center. Following their match in Fayetteville, the Commodores will travel to No. 44 LSU (4-3, 0-2 SEC) on Sunday for an 11 a.m. match at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
This weekend’s matches are sandwiched in the middle of a season-long four-match road swing. So far this season, the Commodores are 2-1 in matches away from home and are 6-2 against opponents that were ranked at the time of their meeting, where the team went 2-3.
Leading the Commodores into action this weekend will be Ryan Preston, who is playing some of the best tennis of his career. The Northbrook, Ill., native has won six consecutive matches at the No. 1 position, including posting upsets over players ranked Nos. 6 and 39 at the time of his victories. Also playing well has been Vanderbilt’s No. 2 doubles team of Nick Cromydas and Bryant Salcedo. The duo has a perfect 5-0 record this spring.
Arkansas will enter Friday’s match having lost two straight matches to open SEC play. The Razorbacks lost at Auburn (5-2) and at Alabama (4-2). Last season, the Commodores topped Arkansas 5-2. Friday’s match will be Arkansas’ first home match after five consecutive road matches.
LSU will host Kentucky on Friday before playing the Commodores. The Tigers’ match against Vanderbilt is actually their first of two matches on Sunday. LSU is scheduled to play Centenary at 4 p.m. the same day. Individually, LSU’s only ranked player is No. 86 Michael Venus. Sunday’s match will be the two team’s first meeting since last year’s NCAA Tournament, where LSU eliminated Vanderbilt, 4-0, in the second round.