VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's and women's tennis teams make their first road trips of the season as they travel to Pensacola, Fla., to face Gulf South Conference foe Delta State on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.  The matches versus West Alabama, which was scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed due to the threat of inclement weather on Saturday in Pensacola.  The UWA matches will be rescheduled for a later date.
 
The Blazer men's team moved to No. 3 nationally this week, despite being the defending national champion and a perfect 7-0 on the year, including a 5-2 victory over No. 1 West Florida last week.  The Argos somehow remain at the top spot in the ITA rankings even with the loss to VSU.  UWF leads this week's poll followed by last year's national runner-up, Flagler, VSU, Lubbock Christian and Washburn round out the top five.  Charleston (W.Va.) is sixth, followed by Azusa Pacific, Barry, Harding and Embry-Riddle is tenth.  Rollins is 14^th, while Saint Leo is 17^th, Mississippi College is 23^rd and Lee is 25^th.  
 
In singles, Blazer senior Takeshi Taco remains at the top spot in singles nationally at 14-1 this year and 4-1 this spring.  Senior Boruch Skierkier is third nationally at 16-3 this season, while he is 5-1 this spring.  Senior Edgar Destouet is 13-1 this year and is ninth nationally and a perfect 7-0 this spring.  Graduate student Arthur Bord is 66^th this week at a perfect 5-0 this spring, while freshman Julien Doitteau is 6-0 this year and 5-0 this spring and enters the Top 75 at 74^th this week.  In doubles, duo of Taco and senior Xaveam Van Wijk are fifth nationally at 11-2 this year and 6-0 this spring.
 
VSU enters the week with a 7-0 record overall and a 2-0 mark in the GSC following the thrilling 5-2 win over West Florida last Friday.  In that match, the Blazers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in doubles as top duo of Taco/Van Wijk won 7-6 (7-5) over No. 4 duo of Sebastian Rondon and Diego Duran to claim the point.  In singles, the Argos battled back for a 2-2 score, but Doitteau won 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 for a 3-2 lead and then Taco, won 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) to clinch the team win.
 
Doitteau and Taco earned GSC Freshman and Player of the Week honors, respectively, for their efforts last week helping the Blazers remain undefeated. 
 
Delta State is 2-7 overall and 0-2 in GSC play as it played West Alabama on Wednesday before entertaining the Blazers on Friday.  UWA downed the Statesmen 6-1 on Wednesday.  This season, the Statesmen are 13-32 in singles and 6-18 in doubles.  Hector Ortiz is 4-3 in singles at the top spot in the lineup this spring.  Ortiz and Sebastian Hernandez are 2-7 in doubles at the top spot in the lineup.  
 
VSU has won the last 14 matches versus Delta State dating back to Mar. 31, 2012.  
 
On the women's side, sophomore Natalie Rainke is 42^nd nationally in singles with an 8-3 record this season and a 3-2 mark this spring at the top spot in the lineup.  Senior Viktoriia Fedorova is 3-3 this spring in singles, while freshman Alyssa Novoa is 2-2 at the No. 2 position.  In doubles, Novoa and Fedorova are 2-2 at the top spot to lead the team.  VSU is 1-5 overall and 0-2 in GSC play.
 
The Lady Statesmen are 0-8 overall and 0-2 in league play following a 7-0 loss at West Alabama on Wednesday.  DSU's Elena Palioura is 73^rd in singles with a 9-4 record this year and a 4-4 mark at the top spot this spring.  The Lady Statesmen are 8-35 in singles and 6-16 in doubles.  Angie Moreno and Lara Torres are 3-33 in doubles at the No. 2 spot, while Palioura as Yasmeina Mayer are 2-6 in doubles at the top spot.  
 
VSU leads the series 12-1 since Apr. 16, 2011, and has won 12-straight dating back to a 5-2 win by DSU on Apr. 16, 2011, in Montgomery, Ala.  
 
Following the matchups with DSU, VSU continues on the road at Lee on Mar. 19, then back in Pensacola on Mar. 23 versus Christian Brothers, before returning home to host Georgia College on Mar. 30 at 2 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex.