Wake Forest Athletics
Trio of Ranked Opponents To Challenge Undefeated Deacons
2/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 8, 2007
Winston-Salem, N.C. - The Wake Forest men's tennis team will put its undefeated record on the line against a trio of nationally-ranked opponents this weekend at the Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center. The Deacons will host 13th-ranked VCU on Friday at 5:00 p.m., 31st-ranked Minnesota at noon on Sunday and 45th-ranked East Tennessee State at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Wake Forest has already defeated three nationally-ranked opponents this season, but none were ranked as high as any of the three coming to Winston-Salem this weekend.
Historically, the Deacons have had trouble with the Rams. VCU leads the all-time series 13-5 and has won three of the last four head-to-head meetings. Wake Forest won the last contest played in Winston-Salem, 4-3, in 2005. VCU's roster is comprised entirely of foreign talent.  Five of the team's eight players hail from France. VCU (7-2) has already played two ACC opponents this season, dropping very close matches against seventh-ranked Duke (4-2) and eighth-ranked Virginia (4-3).
Wake Forest and Minnesota will renew what has become a healthy rivalry. The Deacons and Golden Gophers have met every year since 2002.  Wake Forest has walked away as the winner four of the last five times, including last year's 6-1 neutral site victory in Richmond, Va. Minnesota has two players ranked in the top-100. Junior Raoul Schwark is ranked 58th and senior Adrews Osorio is ranked 77th.
East Tennessee State will bring one of its most talented teams in recent memory.  The Bucs have been regulars in top 75 national rankings over the past 10 years, but have never been ranked in the top 50 in their matchups with Wake Forest. This year, ETSU comes to Winston-Salem ranked 45th. The Deacons and the Bucs have met every year since 1992 and Wake Forest has won every year since 1994.
