VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's and women's tennis teams head to Columbus, Ga., to battle Columbus State on Tuesday at 2 p.m.  Fans can access links to live stats at vstateblazers.com on the men's and women's tennis schedule pages.
 
The No. 4-ranked Blazer men's tennis team enters with a 10-0 record overall and are 5-0 in Gulf South Conference play.   The Blazers have not played since a 4-0 win over Christian Brothers on Mar. 24 in Montgomery, Ala.  VSU had a match scheduled with Georgia College for Mar. 30, but it was postponed due to inclement weather.  
 
VSU has wins over No. 1-ranked West Florida and No. 2-ranked Barry this spring, but somehow have continued to drop in the poll despite winning its last 26-straight matches dating back to last season.   
 
Flagler is third in this week's rankings, while Lubbock Christian rounds out the top five.  Saint Leo, who VSU also defeated, is ninth this week, while Embry-Riddle is 12^th, Florida Southern is 14^th, Mississippi College is 23^rd, Lander is 25^th, Lee is 27^th and Columbus State is 30^th among teams VSU already has or will play this spring.  
 
Nationally speaking, Blazer seniors Takeshi Taco and Xaveam Van Wijk enter at eighth nationally as they are 12-3 this season and 7-1 this spring at the top spot in the lineup.  In singles, Taco regained the top spot nationally this week as he is 17-1 this year and 7-1 this spring.  Senior Boruch Skierkier is seventh nationally at 18-3 this year and 7-1 this spring, while senior Edgar Destouet is 16^th nationally at 15-1 this year and a team-best 9-0 this spring.  
 
Skierkier and junior Jan Skerbatis are 6-2 in doubles this spring and 8-6 overall this year, while Destouet and graduate student Arthur Bord are 10-3 this year and 5-2 this spring.  Van Wijk is 8-1 in singles this season, while freshman Julien Doitteau is 6-1.   
 
The Cougars enter at 8-7 overall and 1-0 in Peach Belt Conference play.  Columbus State has won its last two matches with a 5-2 win at West Alabama and a 6-1 win over Augusta.  In singles, Daniel Hammond is 67^th this week with a 6-5 record this year, but a 1-3 mark this spring.  He and teammate Benedek Szombathelyi are 15^th nationally in doubles as the duo is 9-4 this year.  Andrea Sandrone is 13-3 in singles this season, while he is 19-2 in doubles with Elias Peter. 
 
CSU has won six of the last ten matches in the series, but VSU won 7-0 on Feb. 29, 2024, in Valdosta.  VSU is 1-3 in Columbus since 2011 and hasn't won there since Mar. 1, 2014 (0-3).  
 
For the women, the Blazers enter with a 3-6 record overall and a 2-3 record in the GSC.  The Blazers won 4-0 against Christian Brothers on Mar. 24 in Montgomery, Ala.  For the women versus CBU, sophomore Natalie Rainke won 6-1, 6-4 at the top spot, while freshman Alyssa Novoa won 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2 setting the tone for the match.  The doubles matches were not played due to the long weather delay prior to the matches.  Rainke is 27^th nationally in singles as this year as she is 10-4 overall and 5-3 this spring at the top spot in the lineup.  Novoa is 8-4 in singles and 4-3 this spring.  
 
Columbus State enters 31^st nationally and is 8-4 overall and 1-0 in league play.  CSU won 4-3 over West Alabama its last time out and 5-2 over Augusta, after losing to West Florida 5-2 on Mar. 20.   The Cougars have won the last nine matches in the series with VSU dating back to Mar. 5, 2013.  VSU is 0-4 against CSU in Columbus.  
 
For the Cougars, Nikoline Gullacksen is 12^th nationally in singles and is 13-3 this year.  Mariana Ramirez is 43^rd nationally and is 11-5 this year.  Gullacksen and Ramirez are 22^nd nationally in doubles with a 10-4 record. 
 
Following the matches, VSU continues on the road as it travels to Montgomery, Ala., to face Mississippi College on Apr. 4 and at Auburn Montgomery on Apr. 5.