April 15, 2010

CAC Tennis Tournament Pairings Set

FREDERICK, Md.--The Hood College men's and women's tennis teams will begin Capital Athletic Conference tournament contests this weekend.

The Blazer men (4-9, 2-4 CAC) earned the No. 5 seed in the playoffs by virtue of a coin flip, and as a result will travel to take on the fourth-seeded Stevenson University Mustangs Sunday at noon. The Blazers hold a 1-5 record against Stevenson, with the program's only win coming last year in the first round of the CAC playoffs (5-4).

Junior Mike Hardman owns the team's best singles record at 10-3 and boasts a 4-2 mark against CAC foes. Hardman and sophomore Carter Reitman have combined to go 8-2 at first doubles, one of the best marks in the CAC. The last time the Blazers and Mustangs met on April 10, SU took two-of-three doubles matches and won three singles contests to eke out a 5-4 decision.

The Blazer women (6-9, 3-3 CAC) locked up the fourth seed in the six-team tournament and will host the fifth-seeded Wesley College Wolverines Saturday at noon at Baker Park. Hood has defeated the Wolverines in each of the previous four matchups, dating back to the 1997-98 season. Most recently on April 11, the Blazers trounced the Wolverines, 7-2, after winning two doubles matches and five singles matches.

Senior Jillian Elkaim and freshman Emily Maerz rank among the CAC leaders at first and second singles, respectively. Elkaim is 9-6 overall and 3-3 against CAC teams while Maerz shows a 7-2 record and is 4-2 versus league foes. Both Elkaim and Maerz bring five-match winning streaks into Saturday's tournament tilt.

Should both teams advance to the second round, the Blazer men and women will travel to top-seeded University of Mary Washington early next week.