ROME, Ga. – The two-seeded App State tennis team is set to face Troy in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Championship at 2 p.m. tomorrow. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
The Mountaineers, who finished 9-2 in Sun Belt Conference play, are coming off a dominant 4-0 sweep over Louisiana on the road to close out the regular season. They clinched the doubles point, with a win on court two being all that was needed due to Louisiana not having enough players to compete on No. 3 doubles.
The Ragin' Cajuns also lacked a player for No. 6 singles, giving the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead as singles play began.
Alexi Cleveland extended the lead to three with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 straight-set win from the No. 4 spot.
Savannah Dada-Mascoll then sealed the victory with a 6-1, 6-2 win, ending the regular season with nine consecutive singles victories.
On the Mountaineers
The Mountaineers recently wrapped up a historic season, tallying a program-high 17 wins, including 10 straight wins, eight consecutive conference victories, and tying a program record with nine Sun Belt wins.
Dada-Mascoll finished the regular season with a 17-2 overall singles record and a 9-2 conference record, all from the No. 1 spot. In doubles, she holds a 13-4 overall record, including a 7-2 mark in Sun Belt play. For her performances against Gardner-Webb, Coastal Carolina, and Georgia Southern, she was named Sun Belt Player of the Week on April 9.
Naledi Manyube has been a force at the No. 2 spot this season, boasting a 13-2 singles record and a 14-3 doubles record. She also earned Sun Belt Player of the Week honors on March 19, following an undefeated opening conference weekend against #48 South Alabama and Southern Miss.
Alexi Cleveland has had an impressive debut season, posting a 9-3 singles record, including 5-1 in Sun Belt action. She has added depth to the lineup, primarily competing in positions five and six.
Olwyn Ryan-Bovey has been surging as the season winds down, holding a 10-5 singles record with eight consecutive wins. She has also compiled a 12-6 doubles record, including a 7-3 mark from the No. 2 spot.
Scouting the Trojans
Troy enters the tournament finishing the regular season with an 11-9 overall record (6-5 SBC). In the first round of the tournament, the Trojans took down Coastal Carolina 4-2. Last year, Troy went 16-7 (9-2 SBC), falling to App State 4-1 in the third round of the tournament. The Trojans return six players from last year's squad and have added one newcomer this season.
Next Up
With a win, the Mountaineers will advance to the semifinals of the Sun Belt Championship, taking on the winner of Marshall vs. Texas State on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the match streamed on ESPN+.
The 2024-25 tennis season is proudly presented by Hound Ears Club.
