Jan. 17, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF men's tennis team hits the road on Friday, heading to Tampa to compete at the USF Invitational. On the first of the three-day tournament, the Knights will face the host, USF, at 2 p.m. on the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
The Knights continue to face top-notch competition on Saturday as the team goes up against No. 35 ranked Virginia Tech and concludes the invite against No. 28 ranked Auburn on Sunday.
UCF finished its three-month fall season in early November at the Seminole Invitational. Senior Sinan Sudas (Adana, Turkey) and freshman Blaze Schwartz (Pensacola, Fla./Washington) won the `B' Division doubles title against Auburn's Lukas Marsoun and Nick Maurillo, 8-5.
Junior Brock Sakey (Gulf Breeze, Fla./Gulf Breeze) and sophomore Johan Beigart (Vaxjo, Sweden) also won a doubles title this fall. The duo defeated Rollins' Brian Compton and Jonathan Gomez at the C.L. Varner Memorial Invite, 9-7.
UCF men's tennis head coach Bobby Cashman knows his team is anxious to get back on the courts and compete following a month lay-off.
"Our Knights are excited are to begin the spring season," said Cashman. "Virginia Tech and Auburn compete in two of the premier tennis conferences in the country, the ACC and SEC. Add a talented rival school, USF, into the mix and you can see why they are excited about the opportunities that are before them this weekend."
UCF finished 12-12 last year, including three wins against ranked opponents. The team returns five starters from last year's squad and features four newcomers to its roster.
The tournament serves as the first event the Knights will compete in the 2008 spring season, but does not count toward UCF's team record.
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