Rockets Challenge Racers, Penguins

Friday, February 14

Toledo, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Toledo

Northwestern Ohio

Junior Filip Zupancic and the Rockets are set to host UNOH on Friday and Youngstown State on Saturday at Shadow Valley Tennis Club.

Photo by: Katherine Jamtgaard

2/12/2020 12:11:00 PM | Men's Tennis

TOLEDO, Ohio - The University of Toledo men's tennis team is set for afternoon matches against Northwestern Ohio on Friday and Youngstown State on Saturday at Shadow Valley Tennis Club in Maumee. Both matches will begin at 1:00 p.m.

Admission to both matches is free. Free Domino's pizza will be available to fans on Saturday and a free kids' clinic will follow Saturday's match. Throughout the season fans are welcome to join the men's tennis team's fight against cancer in memory of Luis Kleinschnitz's mother and can donate to the cause here.

Last Time Out
The Rockets opened their home stretch of games with a 5-2 over Findlay and a 7-0 sweep of Tiffin on Feb. 7. Doubles teams senior Danilo Vukotic/junior Filip Zupancic and sophomore Cole Shoults/freshman Krzysztof Wetoszka went 2-0 on the weekend. In singles play, Vukotic, Wetoszka, senior Thawin Suksathaporn, and Zupancic posted victories over the Oilers and Dragons. In the evening session against Tiffin, freshman Max Skaer earned a win on the No. 6 court and Shoults finalized the sweep after a three-set battle on the No. 3 court.

Last Time Against Northwestern Ohio
Toledo last faced Northwestern Ohio on Feb. 8, 2015, winning 6-1 in the Glass City. Stjepan Sisko/Omar Espinosa and Mark Singnil/Stephen Miller earned the doubles point. Sisko, Singnil, Nicky Wong, Espinosa, and Miller tallied the Rockets' remaining five points.

Scouting Northwestern Ohio
Northwestern Ohio is 4-4 (0-0 WHAC) with wins over Huntington, Goshen, Findlay, and Marian.

David Ayguavives and Sergio Conde lead the Racers in singles play, both posting 5-3 (0-0 WHAC) records. Ayguavives splits his time between the No. 4 and No.5 courts, while Conde primarily occupies the No. 2 court. In doubles action Lars Kaplusch has gone 4-2 (0-0 WHAC) from the No. 2 court, while Diogo Lamy is 4-3 (0-0 WHAC), splitting time between the No. 2 and No. 3 courts.

UNOH went 14-12 (5-0 WHAC), tallying five sweeps during the regular season as well as wins over No. 23 ranked Asbury and No. 11 Campbellsville. The Racers clinched their fifth-straight WHAC Tournament title after defeating Cornerstone, 5-1, and sweeping Indiana Tech 5-0. Advancing to the NAIA National Tournament, the No. 20 seeded Racers defeated No.13 seeded Cumberlands, 7-2, before falling, 5-0, to No. 4 seed Point in the second round.

Last Time Against Youngstown State
Toledo fell 6-1 to the Penguins in Youngstown, Ohio, last season. On the doubles court, Omar Espinosa/Luka Vitosevic defeated Danylo Veremeichuk and Joao Garretto, 6-2, but it wasn't enough to secure the doubles point. Vince Anzalone posted the Rockets' sole point, defeating Vasilis Vardakis, 7-5, 6-2.

Scouting Youngstown State
YSU is 3-3 (0-0 Horizon League). The Penguins posted wins over St. Bonaventure, Binghamton, and Saint Franics in January before going on a three-match losing streak in February, with losses against Butler, Morgan State, and James Madison.

Junior Vasilis Vardakis has a 5-1 (0-0 Horizon League) record on the No. 1 court. Senior Joao Garetto also has a strong singles record early in the season, going 4-2 (0-0 Horizon League) between the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. Leading the Penguins in doubles, is senior Pol Virgili Blanco/sophomore Erik Gran. Both have a 5-1 record from the No. 3 court. Vardakis, paired with freshman Will Everett, is 4-1 (0-0 Horizon League) in doubles from the No. 2 court.

Youngstown State was 12-8 (5-1 Horizon League) last season, with four 6-1 victories. YSU also managed to edge out Duquesne, Northern Illinois, Creighton, and UIC 4-3 during the regular season. In postseason play, the No. 2 seeded Penguins earned a bye to the semifinals before falling to No. 3 seeded UIC, 4-3, in the Horizon League semifinals.