ELON, N.C. – Another ranked opponent visits the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center as the Elon University men’s tennis team hosts No. 62-ranked William & Mary Tribe on Sunday afternoon, April 3, at 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
Elon survived a late UNCG rally on Tuesday, March 29, to extend its winning streak to six matches with a 4-3 defeat of the visiting Spartans. With the Phoenix leading the match 3-2, UNCG forced third sets in the remaining two matches before Salvador Mijares prevailed in his third and final set to secure the victory for the Phoenix.
ANOTHER RANKED OPPONENT
No. 62 William & Mary will be the fifth ranked opponent that Elon has faced this season and second at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. In the last ranked-matchup for Elon at home, No. 28 Old Dominion claimed a 4-1 victory. Elon’s other three matchups against ranked foes have been ACC teams (#1 Virginia, #40 NC State and #13 Duke).
SCOUTING WILLIAM & MARY
The Tribe enters the match with a 12-5 overall record and is ranked 62nd in the ITA rankings. William & Mary is coming off a 1-2 finish at the Rice Invitational with 4-1 losses to Texas Tech and Rice, and picking up a 4-2 victory over Drake.
SERIES HISTORY
The Tribe leads the all-time series 3-0, but all three wins have been in Williamsburg, Va. Sunday will mark the first meeting at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. Last season, the Tribe posted a 4-1 win over the Phoenix in the CAA semifinals.
HOME COOKING
The Phoenix has impressed on its home court to begin the season. Elon holds a 7-1 record at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center and a 8-1 home record overall. Since the beginning of the 2013 spring season, the Phoenix has achieved a home record of 30-8.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
True freshmen have been carrying a heavy load for the Phoenix so far this season. Taylor Foote, Salvador Mijares, Felipe Osses-Konig, Mario Paccini and Felipe Sarrasague have combined for 33 of the team’s 64 singles wins through 17 matches. Mijares has a freshman-high 11 singles wins, while Sarrasague has 10 and Paccini has eight victories.
UP NEXT
The Phoenix continues a five-match homestand on Wedesday, April 6, hosting College of Charleston at 3 p.m. at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
HEAD COACH MICHAEL LEONARD
Michael Leonard is in his 12th season as Elon’s director of tennis and head men’s tennis coach. Leonard is a five-time winner of the Southern Conference Coach of the Year award and has led the program to five conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
2016 CAA TOURNAMENT
Elon was selected to host the 2016 Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships, which will be held April 21-24 at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center and the Burlington Tennis Center. It will mark the first-ever CAA Tournament hosted by the Phoenix and first conference tournament hosted by the program since the 2013 SoCon Tournament.