VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's and women's tennis teams host nationally ranked Embry-Riddle on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex and then head to nationally ranked Florida Southern on Monday for a 2 p.m. match in Lakeland, Fla.
 
The No. 2-ranked Blazer men's tennis team enters with a 1-0 record after a 5-2 win over Middle Georgia on Feb. 3.  The Blazers extended their winning streak to 43-straight matches with the win, but it wasn't easy as MGA won the doubles point and VSU rallied winning five of the six singles matches.  Blazer freshman Pietro Casciola earned Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week honors as he won at No. 6 in singles, clinching the match for VSU.  
 
ERAU enters with a 2-1 record and dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to No. 1-ranked Barry in which the decisive match came down to No. 5 singles in a three-set thriller.  The Eagles went 14-8 last season and 4-3 in Sunshine State Conference play.  VSU handed ERAU a 4-0 setback in Daytona Beach, on Apr. 15.  The Blazers have won four of the last five in the series and six of ten.  
 
Florida Southern enters at No. 14 in the preseason ITA rankings and is 0-1 on the year after a 6-1 loss at No. 3 Flagler on Feb. 7.  FSC will battle Lynn on Feb. 14, before entertaining the Blazers on Monday.  VSU has won the last six in the series, including a 4-1 victory on Apr. 12, 2025, in Valdosta, marking the first meeting between the two teams since 2015.  VSU is 9-4 against Florida Southern dating back to 1996.  The Mocs went 17-9 last season and 4-3 in SSC play as they lost to Barry in the regional. 
 
On the women's side, the Blazers enter the week with a 1-1 record after a 5-2 win over Middle Georgia and a 5-2 loss to No. 2 Nova Southeastern in a match that was close throughout.  The Blazers showed great poise and character and were within a few points of the NSU match going in favor of the Blazers.  Blazer junior Charleigh Fay earned GSC Player of the Week honors for her 2-0 week in singles as the only Blazer to win both of her singles matches. 
 
The ERAU women enter at No. 7 and are 5-0 on the year with wins over Palm Beach Atlantic, St. Thomas (Fla.) and Edward Waters twice.  The Eagles opened SSC play on Wednesday in a 5-2 win versus Saint Leo, before heading to Valdosta for Saturday's matchup.  ERAU has won the last two meetings in the series and four of five, while the teams have split the previous ten matchups dating back to 2008.  Last season, ERAU won 4-1 in Valdosta on Apr. 15.  ERAU went 20-7 last season and lost to Mississippi College in the regional, 4-3.
 
Florida Southern is 11^th in the rankings and opens with trips to Rollins and Barry before hosting VSU on Monday.  FSC went 17-6 last season and 5-4 in league play, including a 4-0 win at Valdosta State on Apr. 12.  VSU has won four of the last seven in the series dating back to 1980.  VSU won 4-3 in Valdosta on Apr. 12, 2024.  
 
Following the two matches, the Blazers travel to Coastal Georgia on Feb. 28 for a 2 p.m. match in Brunswick, Ga., for both the men's and women's teams.