NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers men's and women's tennis teams host Abilene Christian on Wednesday at the Tennis Center for the first home matches of Southland Conference play. First serve is set for 2 p.m.
The Privateers men (4-4, 1-0 Southland) are coming off back-to-back losses with the first coming at the hands of No. 15 Oklahoma State on Saturday. The most recent was at home versus SIU-Edwardsville on Sunday. The nationally-ranked Cowboys won their match, 7-0, while the tussle with the Cougars was a much closer, 4-3, defeat.
New Orleans is led by Rui Silva and Gonzalo Garcia with each having five wins in singles play entering this week. Christoffer Appelgren has also impressed as of late, posting a 4-2 singles mark while also teaming with Silva to have the squad's best doubles record of 5-2.
Abilene Christian (6-7, 1-0 Southland) will be making its first ever trek to the Tennis Center, and come to New Orleans fresh off of a 4-3 over Incarnate Word to start league action. Abilene plays at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday at 10 a.m. before coming to the Tennis Center.
The Privateers women (4-4, 1-1 Southland) won their last time out on the hard top, defeating a scrappy SIU- Edwardsville squad, 4-3 on Sunday. New Orleans has split in its first two conference matches with the team's most recent being a 4-3 loss at Lamar.
The one constant for the Privateers has been
Anna Segarra Rius who enters this week undefeated in singles play with a 7-0 record. Segarra Rius has earned wins at three spots in the lineup with her most recent coming at No. 2.
The Lady Wildcats (9-2, 1-0 Southland) are winners of their last five matches including a 7-0 triumph over Incarnate Word. Over the course of Abilene Christian's win streak, the Lady Wildcats have impressive wins against New Mexico State and Texas-El Paso.
First serve is set for 2 p.m. and the matches are free and open to the public.
