VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's and women's tennis teams close out the 2024 regular season with Lee University visiting on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex.
 
Sunday's match was originally scheduled for earlier in the season, but due to inclement weather then, it was moved to Apr. 21.  The Blazer men's team enters No. 3 nationally and 16-3 overall, while it is 7-1 in Gulf South Conference play.  With a win Sunday, VSU would tie West Florida for the regular season title.  The Blazer women's team is No. 27 nationally and is 9-11 overall, while they are 7-2 in GSC play.  
 
In looking at the league standings, the women's team needs to win to tie for second for the regular season with Auburn Montgomery.  VSU would have the tiebreaker with AUM for the No. 2-seed in the upcoming GSC Championship, beginning Apr. 27 in Montgomery, Ala.  If VSU were not to be victorious, it would tie for third with Mississippi College and West Florida.  In that scenario, VSU would be the No. 5-seed in the conference tournament based on tiebreakers.  Lee enters with a 9-5 record overall on the women's side and a 4-5 mark in league play.  The Lady Flames with a win would secure the No. 6-seed in the conference tournament and a loss the No. 7-seed.  
 
On the men's side, a loss would put VSU tied with AUM and Lee for second in the standings.   No. 23 Lee enters Sunday's match 6-2 in league play and 11-2 overall.  If VSU were to win, it would tie UWF for the regular season title as stated above, but UWF would have the top-seed in the conference tournament by virtue of its win over VSU earlier this season.  
 
For the men, the Blazers enter winners of six-straight matches, including a thrilling 4-3 win at top-ranked Saint Leo on Wednesday.  In that match, senior Christian Wedel sealed the victory with a straight-set win over Dylan Andrianaly, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, at the No. 5-spot breaking a 3-3 tie.  SLU won the doubles point and held an early 2-1 lead, but the Blazers turned up the heat and handed the Lions their second loss of the season.  VSU beat both Saint Leo and Barry last year when they were each ranked No. 1.  
 
Blazer junior Takeshi Taco enters the match sixth nationally in singles at 22-5 overall this year, while he is 15-3 this spring in dual matches and 7-1 in GSC play.  Senior Luca Mack is 13-5 in singles this spring and 6-2 in GSC play at the top spot in the lineup for a No. 26 national ranking.  Junior Boruch Skierkier is 28^thnationally and is 22-1 overall this year, while he is 18-0 in dual matches this spring and 8-0 in GSC play.  In doubles, Mack and senior Rodrigo Carvalho are 11^th nationally at 9-0 on the year, while Skierkier and sophomore Jan Skerbatis are 28^th nationally and 12-2 this year.  Mack and Wedel are 8-1 this season as a doubles tandem for 49^th nationally.
 
The Flames are led this season by Francisco Faria who is No. 38 nationally in singles at 18-3 this season and 12-2 this spring.  Wilhan Van Der Merwe is 65^th nationally at 17-2 in singles this year, while he is 13-0 this spring.  
 
VSU leads the all-time series with Lee 14-0 and won twice last season, 4-0 in the conference tournament and 5-2 in Cleveland, Tenn., on Mar. 29, 2023.  VSU defeated Lee 5-2 in Valdosta on Mar. 5, 2022.  The Blazers are 4-0 against the Flames in Valdosta.  '
 
On the women's side, the Blazers snapped a three-match skid with a 7-0 win on Thursday at West Georgia. VSU dominated the match from start to finish in the final league match for UWG before it moves to Division I next fall.  Lee has dropped four-straight matches entering Sunday's contest and has not won since a 7-0 win over Shorter on Mar. 28. Lee has losses to AUM (5-2), Montevallo (4-3), West Alabama (6-1) and most recently Mississippi College (5-2).  
 
The Blazers are led in singles this season by freshman Aneta Poborilova who is 12-7 this spring and 7-2 in GSC play.  Juniors Kayla Greco and Olivia Pezo, along with freshman Denisa Hanakova are 10-8 this spring.  In doubles, Hanakova and junior Viktoriia Fedorova are 35^th nationally with an 8-8 record overall and a 6-1 mark in GSC play.  
 
Lee is led by Ashleigh Simes who is 17-3 this season for 54^th nationally in singles, while she and Maria Duarte are 28^th nationally in doubles at 19-4 this season to lead the team.
 
VSU leads the all-time series 11-1, but Lee got its first win in the series last season in a 5-2 decision in Cleveland, Tenn.  The Blazers are 4-0 against Lee in Valdosta, including a 6-1 win on Mar. 5, 2022.