VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's and women's tennis teams return home this week as they host Delta State in Gulf South Conference play, Saturday at 1 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex.
 
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will need to socially distance at home matches this season and face coverings will be required at all times for all guests over the age of two (2).
 
The Blazer men's team is 3-0 and 1-0 in GSC play after a 7-0 victory at Auburn Montgomery last Friday.  The Blazers used a 6-0 victory by senior Yohan Nguyen and junior Florian Simbozel at the top spot in doubles, while freshmen Luca Mack and Edward Etty won at No. 2 doubles, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point with their first win of the season.  VSU won all six singles matches, but Simbozel at No. 2 singles won tiebreakers in both the first and third sets to win his match. 
 
For the season, Nguyen and Simbozel are 3-0 at the top spot in doubles, while freshmen Cameron Henricy Trigolos and Christian Wedel at 2-1 at the No. 3 spot in doubles.  In singles, Nguyen is 3-0 at the top spot, while Simbozel is 2-0 at the No. 2 position and Wedel is 3-0 at the No. 3 spot. 
 
Delta State enters at No. 19 nationally in the ITA Preseason Top 25.  The Statesmen are 5-1 on the year with the only loss in a non-conference match to No. 3 West Florida at the ITA Indoor National Tournament, Feb. 26-28, in Oklahoma City, Okla.  DSU beat No. 9 Flagler (4-0) and Concordia University (Calif.) 4-1.  The Blazers also defeated Flagler this season, 5-2 in Valdosta on Feb. 21.
 
VSU has won the last ten-straight matches against DSU, including a 4-3 victory in the last meeting on Apr. 13, 2019, in Pensacola, Fla.  In that match, DSU won the doubles point, while Nguyen tied the match at 1-1 with a win at No. 3 singles and former Blazers Xavi Pineda put VSU up 3-1 with a victory at No. 4 singles and Axel Holm at No. 5.  DSU got wins at the top two spots in the lineup to tie the match at 3-3.  Then-freshman Robert Cizek came up with a huge 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 victory at No. 6 singles to clinch the match.  VSU finished a perfect 10-0 in GSC play that season and was 16-4 overall, falling in the second round of the NCAA playoffs to West Florida in Valdosta.
 
The Blazers have won 19-straight matches in GSC play, dating back to a 5-3 loss at West Florida on Mar. 29, 2018.  In addition, VSU hasn't lost in GSC play to anyone but West Florida since West Alabama won 5-4 on Apr. 5, 2014 in Livingston, Ala.
 
On the women's side, the Blazers are 0-3 overall and 0-1 in GSC play, after a 5-2 loss at Auburn Montgomery last week.  Despite the loss, VSU had numerous chances to win the match against the Warhawks, but were unable to get over the hump.  Juniors Hera Bjork Brynjarsdottir and Amelia Cornwall won at No. 2 doubles, 7-5, but AUM won the point with wins at the top and third positions.
 
Heading into singles play, AUM took a 2-0 lead with a victory at No. 4, but VSU freshman Rachelle Starreveld won at No. 2, 6-0, 6-3, for a 2-1 deficit.  Three of the six singles matches went to three sets and junior Birte Langenstein won at No. 3 singles in three sets, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.  AUM was able to close out the other two three-setters at Nos. 1 and 5. 
 
For the season, Starreveld and senior Estee Widdershoven are 1-0 at the top spot in the lineup in doubles, while Langenstein and freshman Julia Saving are 1-1 overall at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots for the doubles victories.   VSU is 3-6 in doubles matches this season and 3-14 in singles.
Widdershoven, Starreveld and Langenstein each have singles victories on the year.
 
The Lady Statesmen are 0-0 on the year as the first three matches of the season were postponed.  DSU finished the 2020 season with a 1-7 record and a 0-2 mark in GSC play before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. 
 
VSU has won nine-straight matches in the series dating back to Apr. 16, 2011, the last victory for the Lady Statesmen in a 5-1 victory in Montgomery, Ala.  The Lady Blazers won 4-2 in Pensacola, Fla., on Apr. 13, 2019.  VSU won the doubles point with wins at Nos. 2 and 3 as the top spot with Widdershoven and former Blazer Daniella Barta didn't finish. 
 
In singles, Barta won at No. 2, 6-0, 6-0 for a 2-0 lead, while Langenstein also won at No. 3 without dropping a set for a 3-0 lead.  Cornwall lost at No. 6 and Widdershoven lost at No. 1 for a 3-2 VSU lead.  VSU won at No. 5 to clinch the match as former Blazer Rachel Chan-Yaneff, won 6-3, 7-5 and then-freshman Eva Rivoal's match was unfinished in the third set at No. 4.
 
Following the matches on Saturday, the VSU tennis teams continue at home with Washburn (Kan.) on Mar. 11 at 2 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex.  The Blazers then return to conference play at Shorter (Mar. 12 / 2 p.m.) and at Lee (Mar. 13 / 10 a.m.) to finish three matches in three days.