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Tech Men Host Two Midweek Tennis Matches

March 8, 2011

ATLANTA – Georgia Tech, which won its ACC opener Sunday in a 6-1 victory over Florida State, has a busy week with three matches, the first two at home Wednesday against William & Mary and Thursday against Illinois State, both at 2:30 p.m. at the Bill Moore Tennis Center.

Tech, ranked 16th in the nation, is 8-1 overall, having won six straight matches since its only loss to 20th-ranked North Carolina on Jan. 29. William & Mary, who will face Georgia State in a Colonial Athletic Association match while in Atlanta, comes to Tech with a 9-8 mark. Illinois State, from the Missouri Valley Conference, is 7-3 pending a Wednesday match against Panthers.

Admission is free to both matches. Parking is available along Fowler Street in front of the tennis center, on 8th Street or in the Alexander Memorial Coliseum lot.

“It will be a good test for our guys to play matches back to back this Wednesday and Thursday,” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “We respect every team we play, and I am sure it will be two good hard fought matches. It looks like rain tomorrow, so we might play one match inside, and the next day looks a bit better so we could be outside. The ability to handle the changes in environment keeps us flexible and ready for anything. We are looking forward to competing strong.”

Tech holds a 3-1 edge in its series with William & Mary, last playing the Tribe in 2002. The Yellow Jackets have never faced Illinois State.

TECH UPDATE: Two Georgia Tech players are ranked among the top 50 in the nation in singles in this week’s ITA rankings – No. 1 singles player Guillermo Gomez is ranked No. 16, and No. 2 player Juan Spir is No. 50. The Yellow Jackets’ doubles team of Kevin King and Juan Spir are ranked No. 15.

Spir, who is 19-5 in singles this year and 8-1 in dual matches, has won his last five matches, including a pair of wins over ranked opponents. Gomez is 18-6 overall, 7-2 in dual matches.

Spir and King are 7-2 in doubles matches this spring, having defeated five ranked tandems out of 21 total victories this year. Gomez and Dean O’Brien, who play No. 3 doubles, have the Jackets’ best spring record at 8-1.

Tech’s only encounter with Florida State this year was Spir’s loss to the Seminoles’ Clint Bowles in the fall.

OPPONENT UPDATE: William & Mary has played an extremely tough schedule, facing 11 ranked teams in 17 matches thus far, winning three of those. Four of their losses have come to ACC teams. The Tribe and Tech have won common opponent, South Carolina, and both teams defeated the Gamecocks. Illinois State has faced one ranked team, No. 64 DePaul, and lost a close match, 4-3. Tech junior Dusan Miljevic has a brother, Filip, on the Redbirds’ roster. Filip is 15-6 overall, 6-3 in the dual season playing primarily at No. 3 singles.

UP NEXT: Tech resumes ACC play Sunday with a 2 p.m. match at 34th-ranked Miami.

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