App State Tennis Hosts Gardner-Webb in Midweek Showdown

BOONE, N.C. – The App State tennis team will host Gardner-Webb to kick off a four-match homestand tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the App State Tennis Courts at the Appalachian 105 Complex.
 
Last Time Out
The Mountaineers dominated ULM with a 4-0 sweep last Sunday. App State clinched the doubles point early, with Ruby Broadbent and Naledi Manyube securing the win on court two after ULM forfeited the doubles match on court three due to insufficient players.
 
Entering singles play with a 2-0 lead, the Mountaineers capitalized when ULM was forced to forfeit the match on court six, also due to insufficient players. Savannah Dada-Mascoll quickly delivered a straight-set victory from the No. 1 position. Taya Powell sealed the win in straight sets, pushing the Mountaineers to their 12th win of the season. 
 
On the Mountaineers
App State currently holds a 5-2 conference record, ranking third in the Sun Belt with four conference matches remaining in the regular season. The Mountaineers are positioned behind Old Dominion (7-0 SBC) and Texas State (5-1 SBC), both of whom are leading the conference.
 
Savannah Dada-Mascoll is 12-2 in singles this season, with all her victories coming from the No. 1 spot.
 
Naledi Manyube has been exceptional, posting an 11-1 singles record and 11-3 in doubles. During the Sun Belt opening weekend, she went a perfect 4-0 against Old Dominion and James Madison, helping lead App State to its first SBC win of the season. Manyube has won nine straight singles matches, with her last loss coming against Charlotte on Feb. 21.
 
For her standout performances against No. 48 South Alabama and Southern Miss, Manyube earned Sun Belt Women's Tennis Player of the Week honors. She went 3-0 that weekend, with two crucial singles wins from the No. 2 position, where she remains unbeaten at 6-0.
 
Alexi Cleveland, primarily playing in positions four through six, has had an impressive inaugural season, adding depth to the lineup. She holds a 7-3 singles record and is 3-0 in conference play. Before the match against ULM was abandoned, Cleveland was ahead 6-3, 3-4.
 
Olwyn Ryan-Bovey has shown continued improvement, currently riding a four-match singles win streak. She also boasts a 10-6 doubles record, primarily playing in the No. 2 position.
 
On the Runnin' Bulldogs
Gardner-Webb enters with a 6-8 overall record (2-2 Big South) and most recently fell to UNC Asheville 5-2 in Asheville, N.C. The Runnin' Bulldogs finished last season with a 6-11 overall record (3-2 Big South) and were eliminated 4-3 by Charleston Southern in the first round of the Big South Tournament.
 
Next Up
App State will remain in the High Country for the next three matches, facing Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Georgia Southern on Sunday for Senior Day, and wrapping up the home schedule against Georgia State on April 12.
 
The 2024-25 tennis season is presented by Hound Ears Club.