NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers men's and women's tennis teams will start their fall campaigns this weekend when they both make the short trip to Thibodaux to participate in the Battle Down the Bayou on Friday and Saturday.
The Privateers will be facing competition from Nicholls and Loyola during the weekend. It will be a round robin format between all three participants. Friday will consist of one doubles match and two singles matches. The second day will hold two doubles matches and one singles match.
MEN'S PREVIEW
The men's team is coming off their first outright regular season conference title in program history but has a lot to replace off last year's team. Five student-athletes are gone to either graduation or the transfer portal but four new student-athletes come aboard for the fall opener.
There are four returning student-athletes to the squad.
Luke Joujan was an all-conference selection in singles and doubles last season while compiling a combined record of 22-13 between singles and doubles. Joujan went undefeated against Southland opponents last season while playing primarily at flight four.
Marcel Volz returns after a medical redshirt last year. Volz missed the majority of last season due to injury but had a summer that included a win in the Kahlenberg Open in his native Germany. He has earned Southland Player and Newcomer of the Year in his Privateer career.
David Tesic returns after missing a good portion of last season due to injury. Also back is
Matthew Armbruster who was part of an all-conference doubles team last season. Armbruster has 23 doubles wins in his first two years. His younger brother, Mark is one of four newcomers this season.
New to the squad are
Marc Mail (Germany),
Joseph Townes (South Africa),
Sergio Tintore (Spain) and
Mark Armbruster (USA).
WOMEN'S PREVIEW
The women's team returns seven of eight players from last year's squad but will have to replace
Didi Bredberg Canizares who was the Southland Freshman of the Year.
A squad of seven returners make up the women's roster ahead of the fall season.
Laurie Barendse is the leading returner in singles wins with 10 in her freshman season. Barendse ended the year on a strong note, going 5-1 in her last six matches.
Raluca Puscas was part of a team that went 11-5 in doubles last season while playing exclusively at flight two. She earned all-conference recognition in doubles for her efforts.
Ksenia Reznitskaya and
Anastassia Kouchnareva were a doubles tandem that got out to a fast start which included a win over Tulane. They were winners of five straight doubles matches and nine of their first 12 decisions to begin the spring.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow
@PrivateersTN on Twitter,
@PrivateersTN on Instagram, like
Privateers Tennis on Facebook and subscribe to the
UNOPrivateers YouTube channel.
