Thursday, February 9
Toledo, Ohio
11:30 a.m.
University of Toledo
vs
Wayne State
Toledo enters the weekend with a 3-2 record and has won its last two matches.
Photo by: Maxwell Wood
Toledo Prepares for Three Matches in Four Days
2/8/2023 11:45:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The Rockets will host Wayne State on Thursday before playing at Dayton and Xavier this weekend
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo men's tennis team will play three matches this week looking to carry the momentum from its thrilling 4-3 comeback victory over IUPUI last Sunday.
The Rockets (3-2) will host Wayne State (2-0) on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Shadow Valley Tennis Club, then pack the van and head to Dayton (5-4) for 6:00 p.m. match on Saturday, and to Cincinnati to play Xavier (4-2) at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
"If we played one of these matches it would be a huge challenge for us, but to face all three of them in a four-day span will be an uphill battle," head coach Al Wermer said, "The good news is that this gives us unrelenting MAC-level encounters to sharpen our game."
About the Rockets
Toledo has won its last two matches, a 7-0 sweep over Horizon League Champions Youngstown State on Jan. 27 and a 4-3 comeback victory over IUPUI on Feb. 4. The Rockets trailed 3-1 against the Jaguars, but then won three-straight singles matches to grab with the win. Matias Olivero earned his first victory in a Midnight Blue and Gold uniform following an intense 7-6(5), 6(5)-7, 6-2 victory from the No. 4 singles court.
Pawit Sornlaksup did not play on Saturday, and carries into this weekend a 25-match winning streak from the No. 1 court. Marko Galic won both his matches against the Penguins and Jaguars, and has now won his last 12 singles matches.
About Wayne State
Wayne State opened its 2023 season with back-to-back victories against Northwood and Lawrence Tech on Feb. 3. In the first match, the Warriors swept the Timberwolves and then went on to defeat the Blue Devils 6-1.
WSU had its first victory over Toledo, 4-3, at last season's matchup on Feb. 4, 2022. The Rockets still have the upper hand of the 15-1 all-time record against the Warriors.
About Dayton
Dayton is coming off of back-to-back victories from last weekend, moving above the .500 mark for the first time this season. The Flyers had a 7-0 sweep vs. Cedarville on Friday and a 6-1 victory over Southern Illinois on Sunday, their only loss coming from the No. 2 singles court. UD's No. 1 player, Connor Bruce, has won his last five matches, four of them in two-set decisions. Other notable wins under Bruce's belt include Purdue's Daniel Labrador and Indiana's Patrick Fletchall, whom Sornlaksup also defeated earlier this season.
The Flyers and Rockets have not gone head-to-head in a dual since January 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the remainder of competition that spring season.
About Xavier
Xavier had its four-match win streak snapped on Feb. 5 thanks to a 0-4 loss to Indiana. Parco Pannelli's match vs. the Hoosiers was ruled unfinished, and retains a four-match winning streak mostly from the No. 5 court. The Musketeers will host Bellarmine on Friday night before ending its weekend with Toledo on Sunday afternoon.
Xavier and Toledo will take the court for the first time since 2021, the last meeting resulting in favor of the Rockets 4-3 at home.
Follow the Rockets
Be sure to follow the Rockets' men's tennis team on social media:
The Rockets (3-2) will host Wayne State (2-0) on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Shadow Valley Tennis Club, then pack the van and head to Dayton (5-4) for 6:00 p.m. match on Saturday, and to Cincinnati to play Xavier (4-2) at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
"If we played one of these matches it would be a huge challenge for us, but to face all three of them in a four-day span will be an uphill battle," head coach Al Wermer said, "The good news is that this gives us unrelenting MAC-level encounters to sharpen our game."
About the Rockets
Toledo has won its last two matches, a 7-0 sweep over Horizon League Champions Youngstown State on Jan. 27 and a 4-3 comeback victory over IUPUI on Feb. 4. The Rockets trailed 3-1 against the Jaguars, but then won three-straight singles matches to grab with the win. Matias Olivero earned his first victory in a Midnight Blue and Gold uniform following an intense 7-6(5), 6(5)-7, 6-2 victory from the No. 4 singles court.
Pawit Sornlaksup did not play on Saturday, and carries into this weekend a 25-match winning streak from the No. 1 court. Marko Galic won both his matches against the Penguins and Jaguars, and has now won his last 12 singles matches.
About Wayne State
Wayne State opened its 2023 season with back-to-back victories against Northwood and Lawrence Tech on Feb. 3. In the first match, the Warriors swept the Timberwolves and then went on to defeat the Blue Devils 6-1.
WSU had its first victory over Toledo, 4-3, at last season's matchup on Feb. 4, 2022. The Rockets still have the upper hand of the 15-1 all-time record against the Warriors.
About Dayton
Dayton is coming off of back-to-back victories from last weekend, moving above the .500 mark for the first time this season. The Flyers had a 7-0 sweep vs. Cedarville on Friday and a 6-1 victory over Southern Illinois on Sunday, their only loss coming from the No. 2 singles court. UD's No. 1 player, Connor Bruce, has won his last five matches, four of them in two-set decisions. Other notable wins under Bruce's belt include Purdue's Daniel Labrador and Indiana's Patrick Fletchall, whom Sornlaksup also defeated earlier this season.
The Flyers and Rockets have not gone head-to-head in a dual since January 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the remainder of competition that spring season.
About Xavier
Xavier had its four-match win streak snapped on Feb. 5 thanks to a 0-4 loss to Indiana. Parco Pannelli's match vs. the Hoosiers was ruled unfinished, and retains a four-match winning streak mostly from the No. 5 court. The Musketeers will host Bellarmine on Friday night before ending its weekend with Toledo on Sunday afternoon.
Xavier and Toledo will take the court for the first time since 2021, the last meeting resulting in favor of the Rockets 4-3 at home.
Follow the Rockets
Be sure to follow the Rockets' men's tennis team on social media:
- Twitter: @ToledoMTennis
- Instagram: 'toledomtennis'
- Facebook: "Toledo Men's Tennis"
Players Mentioned
Toledo Men's Tennis - The Pawit Effect
Thursday, August 15
Toledo Men's Tennis Season Recap - Back-to-Back!
Thursday, August 15
Men's Tennis NCAA Selection Show
Tuesday, April 30
2021-22 MAC Player of the Year Awards
Saturday, May 14
